


Bliss Like This

by GypsyHope



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2020-07-29 16:01:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 68,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20084908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GypsyHope/pseuds/GypsyHope
Summary: Come join Jane and Maura as they navigate married life, career changes, and parenthood. This follows the events that took place in Future of Promises. I would suggest reading Wonderful Unknown and Future of Promises.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Little toes attached to small feet dug into Jane’s side, waking her up from a deep sleep. Yawning, she stretched her arms out and felt the empty space where Maura should have been. For a brief second, she wondered where her love had gone but then she   
remembered that Maura had kissed her goodbye before lugging a suitcase out the door earlier that morning on her way to the airport. As she took stock of the empty space, something struck her as odd. The little body that was curled up against her radiated   
an unfamiliar heat and the sudden realization that she wasn’t alone caused her to push up onto her elbows. But something was different. This time something didn’t feel quite right.

Since Valley had come to live with them, there had been many mornings when Jane had woken up with the same pressure of a little body pressed against her, but something was off this time. Her eyes surveyed the flushed face and sweaty bangs that stuck   
to Valley’s forehead and her heart began to race. 

“Mama…” Valley sighed as she looked up at Jane with glassy eyes. She shifted her body and looked up into concerned brown eyes and sighed again.

“Hey baby, what’s wrong?” Jane asked as she pushed sweaty bangs away from Valley’s unfocused eyes. Valley shook her head and reached up to touch Jane’s hand. Her cheeks were rosy with a fever and sweat continued to bead along her forehead. “Tell me where it hurts.” She continued to stroke the sticky hair, pushing it away so she could see Valley’s eyes better.

Valley touched her head and then her stomach. “Here…” she whimpered and then squirmed slightly.

In an instant, the almost tranquil moment between them turned into something that Jane hadn’t expected as vomit hit her in the middle of the chest and Valley began to cry. 

“Shit…” Jane looked at the mess dripping down the front of her shirt.

“Sorry…mama…” Valley said between whimpers as tears started to roll down her pink cheeks.

“It’s okay honey.” Jane said as she scooped Valley up in her arms and rushed towards the bathroom. “Mama’s got you. Shit…” she cursed under her breath again when she almost slipped on the tile’s in the bathroom as vomit continued to drip off her shirt onto the floor. “Let’s wash up.” She tried to soothe as she carried Valley to the shower with her.

Turning on the shower, she waited until the water was lukewarm to step in, pajama’s and all. She let the water wash over her head as she held Valley close. But even though the water was warm, Valley started to shiver in her arms, so she tried to wash off what was left of the sickness that coated the front of her shirt and covered Valley’s small body. As quickly as she could, she peeled off the wet pajamas with the ninja turtles before stepping out of the shower to grab a warm fluffy towel to wrap the shivering toddler in. 

Valley snuggled into the soft wrap, her eye’s half open and slightly dazed. “Don’t feel good…” she whispered as Jane carried her back to the bedroom, trying her best to dodge the droplets of vomit that still covered the floor.

“It’s okay Alley-Roo.” Jane sighed as she laid Valley down at the end of the bed, away from the mess that still coated the sheets and pillows. As quickly as she could, she stripped out of her wet clothes and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a clean t-shirt over her wet hair. Glancing over at Valley to make sure she was okay, she grabbed a rubber band and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. After running her fingers over her hair, she frowned at the realization she would need to take another shower when she had a chance. When she was done, she grabbed her cellphone from the bedside table and scooped Valley up again, leaving the mess behind to take care of later.

With Valley tucked against her chest, she went into the little girl’s room to grab some clean pajamas, so she could put them on to stem the shivering that continued to come from the small body in her arms. 

“Paw Patrol it is.” She said as she grabbed the first pair of pajamas she could find from the miniature dresser with dinosaur handles on it. With Valley and the pajama’s in hand, she turned to leave only to find Joe Friday dancing about in the doorway. The little bell on her collar seemed to sound more frantic than usual and even thought the little dog seemed concerned about what was happening with her favorite human, it was obvious she needed to be let out into the back yard to relieve herself. 

“Maura should have let me put in that doggy door…” Jane grumbled as she shooed the pup towards the stairs. It was a thought she had dismissed recently since Maura was the one who usually let Joe Friday out in the mornings, but now she was regretting having not insisted she be allowed to put it in.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs with the small bundle of fur dancing around her feet, she let out a heavy sigh. “I’m gonna need help.” She said aloud to herself as she carried the clean pajama’s and Valley towards the couch and gently set them both down. Watching Joe Friday trot over towards the sliding glass doors, she shook her head and followed. “Okay girl, but I think I’m gonna need to call in the troops.” She said as she opened the door and watched the dog take off towards a dark corner of the yard where the early morning sun hadn’t reached yet. When Joe Friday was done, Jane waited patiently as the pup sniffed a few spots on the grass before making her way back inside the house. The expectant look she got from Joe Friday caused her to chuckle as she found Frankie’s phone number and called him. “I’m on it.” She said as she closed the sliding glass door and moved to sit next to Valley on the couch. 

“This better be an emergency.” Frankie groaned when he answered on the third ring.

“Valley’s sick and Maura’s away on business. I need help.” Jane glanced at the clock and grimaced when she realized it was only seven o’clock in the morning. “Sorry I woke you up, but I don’t know what to do.”

“No, it’s okay.” Frankie’s voice softened with concern. “What about Ma or Constance?”

Jane could her the rustling of the covers as Frankie sat up in bed to talk to her. “They’re out of town this weekend. Finally decided to use that spa weekend retreat we gave them for Mother’s Day.”

“Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can…give me about thirty minutes.”

“Thanks.” Jane sighed into the phone. “Hurry…”

“Do you need anything?” He asked as he climbed out of bed and stumbled around his room looking for his sweat pants.

“I don’t think so. Maura has an emergency kit for times like these. I’m gonna take Valley’s temperature and give her what she needs if she has a fever, which I’m pretty sure she does.”

“Okay, just text me if you find out you need something. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He said before hanging up the phone.

Jane hung up and then stared at her phone trying to decide if she should call Maura or not but then she remembered that Maura was probably somewhere over Colorado about now on her way to LA. Shaking her head, she pushed the urge away to call her mom, feeling determined that she could handle things, even if she did need Frankie’s help. 

Valley stretched and pushed the towel off, exposing her overheated skin to the cool air in the living room and whimpered. “Hot, mama…” she wiped at her sweaty forehead. 

“It’s okay baby.” Jane ran her finger’s through Valley’s damp hair. “I’ll get you some medicine to make you feel better. Will you be okay if Mama leaves for a minute to get you something?” She was hesitant even though Valley nodded. “I’m gonna leave Joe here to watch you, okay?”

“Okay…” Valley sighed when she felt the little dog snuggle alongside her.

As quickly as she could, Jane ran up stairs to the bathroom where Maura had put the emergency box with the thermometer and Tylenol among other things. And as quickly as she had gone up the stairs, she somehow managed to get down them quicker. She slid across the hardwood floor, coming to a stop next to the couch where Valley lay, running her fingers through Joe Friday’s silky fur. 

“Mommy said not to do that.” Valley turned her head to watch Jane as she skidded to a stop. She tried to smile, but fatigue took over as she closed her eyes.

Setting the box down on the coffee table, Jane riffled through it to find the electronic thermometer. When she did, she pulled the cap off and pressed it against Valley’s forehead. She held down the red button and waited for it beep. When it did, she frowned at the reading and immediately looked for the Tylenol. As she was searching through the box, she found a note written in Maura’s neat script and looked it over. She was happy to see that it was instructions for what to do if Valley had a temperature over 100. It stated that she was to give Tylenol first and then give Motrin after three hours and then alternate every three hours. There was a small notebook and pen tucked in the box next to the Tylenol and Jane let out a sigh of relief. Maura really had thought of everything, as usual.

Carefully, Jane took out each bottle of Tylenol and Motrin and set them on the coffee table along with the small notebook. Noting the time, she wrote it out with a T next to it before taking the little spoon like cup and filling it with the amount that Maura had written down.

“Hey sweetheart, Mama’s got some medicine to help you feel better.” Jane said quietly as she helped to lift Valley’s head so she could give her the Tylenol. 

“Okay...” Valley opened her eyes and allowed Jane to help her sit up. After taking the Tylenol, she glanced down and noticed she wasn’t wearing her pajamas. “Where my ninja turtles?” She asked.

“We had to take them off ‘cause they got dirty. I brought down your Paw Patrol pajama’s.” Jane set the little spoon down next to the notebook before turning her attention to the wadded-up pile of pajamas on the couch.

“But I want ninja turtles…” Valley’s eyes grew wide as tears pooled in them.

“I know, but they got dirty and wet, so we had to take them off.” Jane tried to reason.

“I want ninja turtles…” the tears flowed freely as Valley started to cry. “I want Mommy.” Her tears came stronger now, accompanied by the hiccups. 

“I know, me too but Mommy is on a trip. How about if Uncle Frankie comes over to help?” 

Valley took a deep breath and even though the tears continued to roll down her flushed cheeks, she nodded her head. “Okay, but I don’t want Paw Patrol jammies.”

“How about the dinosaur ones then.” Jane laid Valley back down on the couch, but this time she placed a few pillows behind her so she could sit up slightly. “And I’ll get your blankie and we can make a bed here on the couch like we’re camping.”

“Can Joe stay up here with me?” Valley snuggled back against the couch with the towel wrapped around her. 

“As long we don’t tell Mommy that Joe was on the couch. It’ll be our little secret, okay?” Jane reached over and touched the tip of Valley’s nose with her finger causing the toddler to giggle slightly.

“I’m firsty.” Valley smacked her lips together to illustrate her thirst.

“You want some juice or chocolate milk?”

Dark brown eye’s lit up at the mention of chocolate milk. “Chocolate milk!” Valley nodded emphatically. “Pease…”

“Okay, you gonna be alright while I go get your pajamas and then some milk?”

Valley nodded again as she ran her fingers through Joe Friday’s fur. “I okay. Joe Friday will watch me.” 

“Then I’ll be right back.” Jane bent down and kissed Valley’s forehead still radiating heat that burned her lips.

With a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure Valley was okay, Jane moved quickly towards the stairs and Valley’s room. When she grabbed what she needed, she headed to the kitchen to get some milk. Opening the frig, she smiled at the carton of chocolate milk. She was grateful that her weakness for chocolate milk had prompted her to buy it already mixed instead of trying to get that awful powder to dissolve. A row of sippy cups lay in the drying rack next to the sink and she grabbed one. She filled the cup and then snapped a top on it before placing a finger over the opening and shaking it. “You okay, baby girl?” She called out as she put the carton back in the frig.

“I okay, Mama.” Valley called back. 

“Here ya go.” Jane appeared in the living room with a sippy cup in her hand.

“Tank you.” Valley reached out to take the cup before taking a big drink and smacking her lips. She nodded at the cup in her hand before taking another long drink. 

Sitting on the coffee table across from the couch, Jane let out a sigh of relief as she watched Valley finish her drink. She knew how important it was to stay hydrated, so she was happy to see the empty cup when it was handed back to her. “You want more?” She asked.

Valley nodded, but then she frowned and shook her head. “I not feel good…” she continued to shake her head. 

Jane reached out to touch Valley’s forehead but a light knock on the door caused her to look away. In that split second before she turned back, an eruption of hot liquid hit her in the chest. The smell of sour milk almost caused her to get sick herself but she somehow managed to stay calm as Valley began to cry again. “It’s okay.” She tried to reassure the crying toddler who just cried harder at the mess all over the place. “Uncle Frankie’s here. He’ll help.” 

As the tears continued to fall, Valley did her best to nod her understanding. The sound of the front door creaking open drew her attention away from the mess covering Jane’s shirt. “I sick, Unca Frankie…” she sniffed back the tears and wiped her at her eyes. Pointing at Jane’s shirt, she hiccupped a few times as Frankie approached them. “Look at Mama…”

Frankie set a bag down by the couch and shook his head. “You gave her milk? You can’t give milk to someone with a fever. It will curdle…” his eyes were wide with disbelief.

“Now you tell me.” Jane shrugged as the mess on her shirt dripped onto her sweat pants.

“I’ve got this. Go take a shower.” He stepped aside so Jane could get up. “You’ve made a right mess, haven’t you?” 

“Are you here to help or criticize?” Jane mumbled as she pushed past him towards the stairs.

“How high is her temperature?” He asked, causing her to stop at the bottom step.

“It said 102 so I gave her the Tylenol. I wrote it down in the little notebook Maura left in the box.” She pointed at the box.

“Do you think she threw it up before she could absorb it?” He frowned at the messy footprints on the hardwood floor that Jane had left.

“It’s liquid so I think it will be okay.” Jane turned around to face him. “How do you know so much about kids?” 

“Steph has a five-year-old, so…I guess I picked up a few things along the way.” He gave a sheepish grin as he waved her off.

Jane laughed and shook her head. “So that’s still a thing, huh?” She asked just before another knock at the door startled her. 

“I called Frost. I figured we could use reinforcements.” Frankie shrugged his shoulders at the questioning look Jane gave him.

“I guess I’d better go get cleaned up. Um…” she paused and tried to give Valley a smile, whose face brightened up at the mention of Frost’s arrival. “Her pj’s are in the dresser. She wants the dinosaur ones, right Alley-Roo?” 

“T-rex…” Valley nodded in the affirmative.

“You okay with her?” Jane asked.

“Yeah, just let Frost in before you go upstairs.” 

With a nod, Jane moved towards the front door to open it. When she did, Frost stood on the porch and stared at her with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t ask, but thanks for coming. Frankie’s in the living room with the munchkin. I’m heading up to take a shower. You guy’s know where everything is.” She said as she stepped back to allow him to enter. Shutting the door, she turned around and gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks.” She said again as she headed towards the stairs, leaving the quiet murmur of conversation behind.

As Jane made her way up the stairs, she could hear Frost and Frankie talking but she didn’t care what they were saying, she was just thankful that she wasn’t alone. Her heart ached for Maura’s presence and she wanted nothing more than to call her, but she knew that it would still be several hours before Maura would land in LA. So, with a heavy sigh, she resigned herself to fact that she would have to rely on her brother and her best friend but at this point anything was better than nothing.

Grabbing a new set of sweat pants and a t-shirt, she headed towards the bathroom to get a proper shower and finally wash her hair with shampoo. There was a chill in the early morning air, so when she turned the water on, steam filled the room and fogged the mirror up, so she couldn’t see her reflection. For that she was glad because she knew she must look a freight after Valley threw up on her, twice. She pulled her clothes off and dropped them into a pile on the floor before she stepped into the steaming hot shower to wash away the sickness that stuck to her. 

When she stepped under the stream of hot water, the muscles in her body finally relaxed and she let out a sigh of relief. Taking a deep breath, she let the eucalyptus scented soap clear her sinuses. She had always thought that Maura was silly for buying those essential oil concoctions she called soap but at the moment, she was grateful. Anything smelled better than the sour milk that had coated her clothes and hair. But her zen moment was interrupted by the sound of Valley crying and a loud knock on the bathroom door.

“Hey, Janie…Valley wants you.” The panic in Frankie’s voice was evident in the high pitch that carried to her over the sound of the shower.

Turning off the water, she stepped out of the shower dripping wet and grabbed a towel to wrap around herself so she could open the door. The sound of Valley’s crying caused her to move faster, so when she opened the door, Frankie looked at her with a surprised expression. “Come’ere baby…” she cooed as she opened her arms to receive the toddler.

“I want Mommy…” Valley cried as she buried her face against Jane’s neck and wet hair. 

“I know, me too.” Jane sighed as she gave a nod to an anxious Frankie who was still standing in the doorway. “I got this…” she gave him a quick wink before shutting the door. 

“Mommy rubs my belly when I’m sick.” Valley hiccupped as she tried to stop crying. 

“Okay.” Jane set Valley down on the sink counter. “Let me get dressed and we can lay down on the couch together and watch a movie.”

“Toy Story?” Valley perked up when Jane nodded. “And can I have a popsicle?”

“We’ll see about the popsicle.” Jane leaned over and kissed Valley’s forehead which didn’t feel as hot as before. “But we can definitely watch Toy Story.”

“Okay.” Valley sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I wait…”

Jane laughed as she opened the bathroom door to find the dirty sheets stripped from the bed and the room empty again. Riffling through her drawers in search of some clean sweats and a t-shirt, the thought of Maura crossed her mind again and she smiled. 

“Why Mommy not home?” Valley called from the bathroom.

Shaking her head, Jane gathered her clothes and headed back into the bathroom to answer Valley’s questions that seemed to be endless lately. “Mommy had to go on a plane. Remember?” Jane pulled her sweat pants on and then her t-shirt. “Mommy is in   
California, but she’ll be home in a few days.”

“How many days?” Valley asked.

With a smile, Jane held up four fingers and Valley mirrored her. “Four days.”

“Four…” Valley held her fingers up and counted. “One, too, fee, four…that too long Mama.” She shook her head as if she could somehow change it. 

“I know baby. I know…” Jane picked the toddler up and held her close. “How ‘bout we find your dinosaur jammies, so we can go watch Toy Story.”

“Okay.” Valley nodded. “Unca Frankie and Unca Frost gonna stay to watch too?”

“I think we can talk them into it.” Jane said as she carried Valley to her bedroom to find the pajama’s. 

When Valley was in her favorite pajama’s, Jane gathered a handful of extra’s to take downstairs just in case. With the toddler in her arms, she made her way downstairs to find Frost and Frankie lounging around the living room in their own sweats and she couldn’t help but smile.

“What’s up fella’s?” She asked as she took her place on the couch, setting Valley down next to her.

“We figured we’d make ourselves comfortable.” Frankie yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Since you woke me up at the butt crack of dawn.” He smirked. 

“I second that.” Frost laughed.

“How about making some coffee so we can watch Toy Story.” Jane leaned back into the couch to allow Joe Friday to jump up and snuggle alongside Valley.

“How ‘bout I make some pancakes too?” Frost pushed himself up from the recliner.

“I’ll help.” Frankie chimed in as he jumped up from his seat. “What about the munchkin?” He asked as he ruffled Valley’s hair.

“I want popsicles…” Valley said as she tried to duck away from Frankie’s teasing. 

“I don’t think that will be a good idea.” Jane sighed. At any other time she would allow it, but not today, not after the milk mishap. “Maybe a Mickey Mouse pancake. We can see how that works.”

“I want a Woody pancake.” Valley perked up.

Frost and Frankie started to laugh but stopped when Jane gave them a withering glance. “Enough you two.” She admonished as she pointed to the kitchen.

“I sleepy…” Valley said as she snuggled down against Joe Friday. 

Reaching over to run her finger’s through Valley’s honey blonde hair, she pushed bangs away from sleepy eyes. “Okay, sweet pea. Rest your eyes for a while.” She said as she glanced at the clock to make note of the time. She could see that Valley’s cheeks were starting to get rosy again and her forehead seemed warmer than before. 

“You stay here with me.” Valley grabbed one of Jane’s fingers and pulled her hand down to hug it.

“I will.” Jane smiled as she gave Valley’s stomach a gentle rub. “Does it still hurt?” She asked

Valley nodded as she yawned. “A widdle…” she said with a heavy sigh. “I talk to mommy later?”

The question brought a smile to Jane’s face. “Absolutely. We’ll facetime, okay?”

Valley nodded again before her eyes fluttered shut and her grip on Jane’s hand slackened. With a sigh of relief, Jane grabbed the blanket hanging over the back of the couch and covered Valley with it. She tucked it around the sleeping toddler and then around Joe Friday who gave her a lick of appreciation before bowing her head back down. 

“You better not tell Maura I let you on the couch.” Jane laughed as she gave the pup a little scratch behind the ear. “You’ve got about an hour before I gotta wake her up to take her next dose of medicine.” When Joe Friday didn’t respond, Jane rolled her eyes. “Alright, I’ll leave you be for a while…in fact, I might just rest my eyes too.” She said as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, allowing herself to surrender to the fatigue she had been fighting all morning.

***

It wasn’t the friendly banter between Frost and Frankie that woke her up but twisting and turning of Valley next to her on the couch. Opening her eyes, she glanced over at the clock and realized it was past time to give Valley her medicine and this caused her to jump up in a panic. 

“Whoa…” Frankie said as he caught her before she tumbled over the coffee table. “I already gave the munchkin her Motrin. She fell back to sleep almost immediately, so no worries sis.”

Blinking at the bright light coming through the windows, it took a moment for her realize what he had said. “Um, yeah…okay.” She said just as the aroma of bacon and maple syrup hit her. “Smells good. Breakfast ready?”

“More like brunch sleepy head.” Frost said, carrying a tray with a plate full of pancakes and fresh coffee. 

“How long was I out?” She yawned and stretched her arms over her head. “How’s the fever?” 

“It’s been creeping up, but I think we caught it before it got too high. And you’ve only been out for a little over an hour.” Frankie sat down in the recliner. “You feeling better?” He asked, a note of concern in his voice.

“Yeah, thanks for letting me sleep. Where’s Joe?” She asked when she saw that pup was not longer sleeping next to Valley.

“She needed to go out and I think Valley’s restlessness got to her.” Frankie said as he hitched his thumb towards the backyard. “Oh, and Ma called to check in. And before you ask…not I didn’t tell her Valley was sick or she’d be her before you could say Spa Weekend…”

“Did Maura call?” Jane asked.

“Not yet, but I don’t think she’s landed in LA yet.” Frankie said with a frown. “But Frost and I got breakfast ready.”

“Thanks. It smells great.” Jane smiled when Frost set the tray of food down in front of her. She paused and looked over at Valley. “Do you think she’ll be okay?” 

“Yeah, she’ll be okay.” Frankie reached over to touch Jane on the arm. “Kids get sick all the time.” 

“I know, I just wish Maura was here.” Jane pushed her hair away from her face. 

“We’ve got this.” Frost interjected as he took a seat next to Jane on the couch. “And Korsak said he’d stop by later, maybe bring some pizza and beer.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.” Jane laughed as she picked up her coffee and sighed at the deep, rich flavor that tickled her throat. “Um…good.” She closed her eyes and savored the dark liquid that warmed her chest. 

“I made Valley some Mickey Mouse pancakes for when she wakes up.” Frost grinned as he picked his own cup of coffee up and took a sip. 

“You’re a good Uncle.” Jane gave Frost a playful wink. 

“I am, aren’t I…” Frost mused as he took another sip of his coffee.

“I’m a good Uncle too.” Frankie whined. 

“Yes, you are.” Jane tipped her head towards Frankie. “You both are.” She said as she stabbed a pancake with her fork and put a chunk in her mouth, dripping syrup as she did. “Thesssse re soooo gooood…” Her words were muffled by the mouthful of food she was chewing on. 

“Glad you like them.” Frankie laughed.

“I want pancakes too…” Valley stretched, digging her toes into Jane’s thigh. “Mickey Mouse…” she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

Jane swallowed her food and reached over to touch Valley’s forehead. “How you feelin’?” She asked.

“I alright.” Valley sat up and looked around. “Where’s Joe Friday?”

“She had to go outside for a bit.” Frankie said. “She’ll probably come back in when she smells the bacon.” He said swiping a piece of bacon off Jane’s plate and waving it around before eating it. The sound of Joe Fridays bell announced her presence causing them all to laugh. “See…told ya.” He said.

“Joe…come here.” Valley patted the space next to her on the couch. “We having Mickey Mouse pancakes.”

“I don’t think it would be a good idea for Joe to have pancakes.” Jane said, reaching over to tickle Valley on the stomach. 

The giggle that came out of Valley made Jane smile. She was glad to see that Valley’s cheeks weren’t as flushed as before which meant that the Motrin was kicking in. “How long do we give her the Tylenol and Motrin?” She asked Frankie.

“I don’t know. Until the fever goes down, I guess.” He answered.

“How do we know when it goes down if we keep giving it to her?” Frost asked. 

“Well, it was creeping up at the three-hour mark, so I suppose if it keeps doing that, we keep giving it to her.” Frankie reasoned. 

“I’ll ask Maura to be sure.” Jane glanced at her phone, willing it to ring but it didn’t, not yet. 

“I okay, Mama. Can I have pancakes…peeze…” Valley snuggled closer to Jane.

“Yeah, Uncle Frost made some for you.” 

Valley gave Frost a hopeful look that prompted him to stand up. “I gotcha Alley-Roo.” He said as he headed towards the kitchen. 

“Tank-you.” Valley called after him. “Can we watch Toy Story now?” She asked Jane.

“Of course. We waited for you to wake up to start, didn’t we Frankie.” 

“Yep.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “You want me to go ahead and start it up.”

“Yes, peeze…Unca Frankie.” Valley clapped her hand together.

“I’m glad the medicine is working. She seems to feel better.” Jane said as she took another bite of her breakfast. 

“Yeah, it always amazes me when Noah bounces back so quick from being sick. Kids are pretty resilient.” Frankie said as he queued up the movie.

“Noah? Is that Steph’s kid?” Jane asked around a mouthful of food. When he nodded she was quiet for a moment to allow herself the chance to swallow what was in her mouth. “You’re pretty serious about this one, aren’t you?” 

“I’d say he is.” Frost came back carrying a tray with Mickey Mouse pancakes for Valley. “For you Milady…” he gave a dramatic bow as he set the food down causing Valley to laugh. 

Jane gave Frankie a questioning raised eyebrow as she finished her breakfast. For a moment, she allowed herself to study him while she chewed her last bite. He had a smile on his face, one that indicate he was happy, and it made her smile. “I’m glad, you deserve it bro.” She reached over and gave his shoulder a light, playful push. 

“Yeah?” He glanced at her then ducked his head in embarrassment. “I know you are.” He grinned as he watched Valley attack her pancakes with gusto. “You probably don’t want to let her eat all of that, ya know…after she got sick.” 

“Hey, slow down there slick.” Jane turned her attention to Valley who had a mouthful of pancake. “Especially since you’ve gotten sick twice this morning.”

“What?” Frost asked, a look of surprise on his face. “Twice?”

“Jane, you didn’t tell me that she was sick more than once. I thought it was just the milk and the fever thing, but I think we may be dealing with something more nefarious.” Frankie jumped up.

“I okay, Unca Fankie.” Valley tried to dispel any fears they might have.

“I believe you munchkin, but let’s try to slow down a little.” He moved the pancakes away from her and got a frown in return. “I just want to take your time, that’s all.” 

“What’s up?” Jane asked as she stood up to take her plate and empty coffee cup to the kitchen.

“I don’t know, but I think we need to be careful letting her eat too much if she’s been sick.” 

“Mama don’t leave.” Valley panicked.

“How about if I sit next to you?” Frost took Jane’s place on the couch next to Valley. For a moment, she looked like she was trying to decide if this was okay but then she nodded. “Thanks, kiddo.” He laughed.

“I’ll be right back.” Jane gave Valley a quick wink as she disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. When she found herself alone, she leaned against the counter and let out a heavy sigh. She couldn’t stop herself from wishing once again that Maura would call, but her phone remained silent as she poured herself another cup of coffee. A small smile creased her lips at the thought that Frost was getting good at using the machine she had yet to master. 

“Hey…” Frankie said, carrying Valley’s half empty plate. He watched her carefully as he put the plate in the sink next to hers before clearing his throat. “Um, Frost and I are on call today and tomorrow, so I called Tommy to see if he could come by if we got called in. I hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” Jane asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Well, he wanted to know if he could bring Casey over.” He shrugged his shoulders. Jane was quiet for a minute as she thought about what he had said. “I would have asked Carley or Ryan but with Ryan being pregnant and all…” he let his voice trail off.

“No…I mean…yeah, it’s fine.” She nodded thoughtfully. The thought of having to put up with Tommy’s over the top, hippie girlfriend made her cringe though. “Valley really likes it when they visit.”

“I’m sorry, he insisted though.” Frankie said. “I figured you needed the help though. But look on the bright side…we might not get called into work.”

“Yeah, not likely. It’s the weekend and we’re having a heat wave on top of it.” She laughed, and he nodded his agreement. “Well, Korsak said he would help too.”

Reaching out, she put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Look, I appreciate all of your help and knowledge about kids. I’m still learning as we go, but without Maura here, I’m kinda rudderless. So, thanks.”

“I’m just glad I could help and rub it in your face that I know more about kids.” He smirked, getting a shoulder bum in response. 

For a minute, they were both quiet as they each thought about how much things had changed and how much they had stayed the same. But before either of them could say anything, the sound of Valley crying interrupted their quiet contemplation. And then Frost appeared in the doorway covered in half digested pancakes with a look of sheer terror on his face at the same time as Jane’s phone started to ring. 

“Um, guys…I think I need some help.” He said, his arms out in front of him in an effort to keep most of the mess away from his already dirty t-shirt.

“Shit…” Jane dropped her half empty coffee cup in the sink and pushing away from the counter. 

“You get the phone, I’m sure it’s Maura. I’ll take care of Valley…” Frankie said and looked at Frost with concern. “And him too.” He said.

“You sure?” Jane asked as a formality while heading straight towards her phone. She already knew it was Maura by the ring tone, “Brass in Pocket” by The Pretenders. Maura had discovered it in her vinyl collection and put it her phone because she liked it so much. Changing her ring tone was something Maura did regularly because she said that Jane needed to be kept on her toes, whatever that meant. She glanced at Frankie one more time before picking her phone up and got a wave, indicating he was okay and would take care of Valley…and Frost.

For a second, Jane froze. The sound of her phone ringing, and the sound of Valley crying gave her a moment of pause. She wasn’t sure who she wanted to attend to most, but in the end, Maura won. She needed Maura’s help at the moment, so she hit the accept button and did her best to sound casual. 

“Hey, Beautiful…” Jane said. 

“Hey yourself.” Maura sighed tiredly.

“You sound tired.” A heavy sigh that mimics Maura’s escaped from Jane before she could stop it.

“I am. It was a long flight.” Maura said and then paused as the sound of Valley crying carried to her. “Is everything okay?”

Jane cringed as the sound of crying got closer and closer. There wasn’t much she could do but admit defeat as Frankie came around the corner holding Valley wrapped in a clean towel. “Um…” Jane hesitated as she reached out for the crying toddler.

“I want Mommy.” Valley cried in Janes arms.

“Hold on Sweet Pea, Mommy’s on the phone.” Jane moved Valley around to her left hip for better balance. She gave Frankie and understanding smile in response to his apologetic one.

“I sick, Mommy…” Valley hiccupped into the phone as Jane held it up to her ear.

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry I’m not there.” Maura tried to speak around the lump that had formed in her throat. “I bet Mama is taking good care of you though.”

Valley was quiet as she listened to Maura and nodded when she was asked a question. Even though Maura couldn’t see her, Jane watched with an amused smile on her face.

“You have to answer Mommy, she can’t see you.” Jane couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I want to see Mommy.” Valley said as Jane used the sleeve of her sweatshirt to wipe at the steady flow of tears rolling down Valley’s cheeks. “Peezzee…” 

“Okay. Will you let Uncle Frankie take you and get some clean jammies on while I set up the tablet so we can skype?” Jane posed the question and waited for the answer that came in the form of an emphatic nod. “Okay. I’m gonna get Uncle Frost some   
clean clothes while you get dressed too and then we’ll talk to Mommy. Deal?”

“Deal.” Valley stopped crying and reached for Frankie. “I want Unicorn jammies this time.” She said as he took her from Jane.

“Does she any left?” The sarcasm wasn’t missed in his tone, but Valley gave him a look that indicated she wasn’t in the mood for anything funny.

“Hurry, Unca Frankie. I wanna see Mommy.” Valley pointed at the doorway leading away from the kitchen.

Jane watched as Frankie rolled his eyes. “She is definitely your daughter.” He chuckled as he carried her away. 

“Hey, I’m back.” Jane said into the phone.

“I can come home.” Maura said breathlessly as she tried to control her anxiety.

“I’ve got this.” Jane tried to reassure. “We’ve had a few mishaps but, really…I’ve got this.”

“What is her temperature?” 

“It was 102 when I took it earlier but I’ve been giving her the Tylenol and Motrin per your instructions in the emergency kit.” Jane leaned against the counter in the kitchen and let out a heavy breath.

“Okay…and what are her symptoms?” 

“Fever, lethargic, headache, and she threw up three times. Once because I gave her milk while her temperature was 102. Frankie filled me in why not to do that.”

“She may be dehydrated. I have some Pedialyte in the refrigerator in the garage. There’s also Gatorade in there. Make sure she drinks. Don’t worry about food so much right now. She might just throw it up.” Maura tried not to sound worried. She trusted   
Jane and knew things would be okay, even if she wanted to jump on a plane.

“Okay.” Jane was glad that she was already doing everything that Maura had suggested. “What a weekend for Ma and Constance to go away.” She couldn’t help but wish they were there.

“It’ll be okay, sweet heart. Kids get sick, it’s just part of being a parent. And it sounds like you’ve got some help.” 

“Yeah, Frankie and Frost are here. In fact, Valley threw up on Frost right before you called. I got hit twice already, so…” Janes voice trailed off. “I guess I should get him some clean clothes, so he can shower.” 

“I wish I was there.” Maura’s voice was soft with regret. 

“Me too.” Jane whispered back. “But it’ll be okay.” 

“I know.” Maura let out a heavy, tired sigh. “I guess I’ll let you take care of things. I’ll set up my laptop and wait for you to call me on Skype.”

“What about the conference? Don’t you need to get down there?”

“I’ll get down there. It’s only Thursday so there isn’t much going on today. Tomorrow and Saturday are the busiest, but I will drop everything to talk to you and Valley if I need to.”

“Alright. I’ll get Frost taken care of while Frankie get’s Valley changed. We’ll call you in about twenty minutes.” Jane smiled into the phone. “Hey…” she paused before saying goodbye. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Maura could sense the smile in Jane’s voice and it caused her smile back. “Talk to you soon.”

“Okay. Bye…” Jane murmured before hanging up.

***  
“I throwed up this many times.” Valley said as she held three fingers up to the screen so Maura could see. 

“Wow…” Maura tried to sound surprised even though Jane had already filled her in. “How do you feel now?” 

“I okay.” Valley gave a definitive nod. “Mama rubbed my belly like you do and I feel better.” 

“I’m glad to hear that. But I think we need to slow down on eating pancakes for a while.” Maura’s eyes traveled from Valley to Jane who sat quietly next to the little body snuggled up against her side. “I think you should stick to the liquids, at least until tomorrow.”

“Can I have goldfish?” Valley asked as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, trying to chase away the fatigue that was catching up with her again.

“I think that will be okay, sweet heart. But take it slow, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy. When you coming home?” Valley asked before yawning. “I miss you.”

“I miss you to, and Mama. But I’ll be home Sunday.” Maura said then held up four fingers when Valley looked uncertain. “This many days. Okay?”

“Four days.” Valley said to show Maura she could count.

“That’s right.” Maua grinned. “You’re getting good at that.”

“Tank you Mommy. I gonna lay down now.” Valley said as she laid back on her pillow on the couch. 

Jane picked up the tablet and moved it so Maura could see Valley settle against her pillow and blanket, but then she cringed when she realized that Maura could see Joe Friday curled up where she wasn’t supposed to be. “Um, sorry…Alley-Roo wanted Joe   
with her.”

“It’s alright.” Maura sighed heavily. “But don’t let it go on for too long. She’ll think she can do it anytime.”

Jane nodded as she watched Valley pop back up from her reclined position, causing Joe Friday to huff indignantly. “What’s up?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I wanna give Mommy a kiss.” She said as she grabbed the tablet and brought it to her lips, placing a wet and sloppy kiss with a loud smack. “I wove you Mommy.” And with those last words, she flung herself back down on her pillow causing Joe Friday to get up and look at her. The little pup waited patiently for Valley to get comfortable before spinning around in a circle several times and dropping down next to the toddler. Valley giggled and then wrapped an arm around Joe Friday’s middle, running her fingers through the silky fur.

All the while, Maura watched and smiled. “They both look comfortable.” She said and laughed when Joe Friday’s ears perked up at the sound of her voice. “But remember, don’t let her get used to being on the couch.

“I know.” Jane moved the tablet away from Valley and centered it on herself. She smiled at Maura’s tired, disheveled appearance because it made her look sexy. “You ready for your speech?” She asked with a smirk.

“I would be if someone had actually let me practice.” Maura returned the smirk.

“Can I help it if you look like a sexy librarian when you wear your glasses? Oh, and by the way, I had a huge crush on the librarian when I was a kid.”

“Yeah, I gathered that much when you asked me to do the speech with nothing but my glasses on.”

Jane laughed and pushed her hair away from her face revealing a playful twinkle in her eyes. “I didn’t expect you to do it though. Can’t blame me for not being able to concentrate, can you?”

“No, my dear, I can’t.” Maura reached for her glasses sitting next to her laptop on the hotel room desk she was sitting at. She watched Jane carefully as she brought them up to her mouth and gently rubbed her bottom lip with the ear piece. Jane’s eyes lit up and she bit her lip and shook her head causing Maura to laugh. “I’ll just leave you with the memory of what we did last night, until I get home Sunday.” She said with a saucy wink.

“You are so evil.” Jane let out a heavy sigh of longing. When Frankie cleared his throat and reminded her that she wasn’t alone, she smiled at Maura. “We have an audience.”

“Oh?” The flush that moved over Maura’s cheeks caused Jane to groan and shake her head. “Hey guys…” she said when Jane lifted the tablet over her head and turned it towards Frankie and Frost who were both rolling their eyes dramatically. “Sorry…”

“No worries Maura. We get it.” Frost said, only raising his voice loud enough for Maura to hear because he didn’t want to wake Valley up. 

“I don’t get it.” Frankie huffed. “She’s a hot mess.” He said as he waved his hand towards Jane.

“But she’s my not mess.” Maura laughed just before a knock at her door interrupted them. “I’ll be right there.” She said to the invisible entity vying for her attention.

“It that Kelly?” Jane asked even though she knew the answer. Who else other than Maura’s assistant would be knocking at her door. “I still don’t know why you had to take her…” her voice trailed off when she realized she was sounding petulant. “I mean…I understand…but…”

“Hey, is that the new blonde bombshell Maura’s got working in the office?” Frost asked, perking up and turning his attention from another Pixar movie that Valley had picked.

“Yeah…” Jane groused, giving him a dirty look.

“She’s straight Jane.” Maura deadpanned. “And no one could turn my head like you do.” 

“I know. I just miss you. We haven’t spent a night apart since we got married.” Jane said with a shrug. 

“I’ve got to go now and register for the conference, but I’ll call you tonight…okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Love you.” Jane brought the tablet up to her lips and placed a big, sloppy kiss to the screen just as Valley had done earlier. “Talk to you later.” 

“Love you too. Give Valley a hug for me, and the peanut gallery as well.” Maura said before blowing a kiss and signing off.

“You are so whipped.” Frankie laughed and threw a pillow at Jane.

“You’re just lucky she’s asleep.” Jane glanced at Valley to make sure she was. “Or I’d have to pound you.” She said as she threw the pillow back at him.

“Yeah, yeah…whatever. Admit it, you’ve gone soft since you started teaching at the academy.” He pointed at her and grinned.

“We’ll see.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him. “’We’ll just have to shoot it out on the court later.”

“Deal.” Frankie nodded his head. “Can we watch something else until she wakes up? I have a feeling we’re gonna be watching Pixar movies all-night.”

“Yeah, I think the Red Sox game starts soon. We can watch the pregame.” Jane settled back against her arm of the couch as she tried to give Valley room to spread out. She let out a tired sigh, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. “I’ll just rest them   
for a minute…” she said to herself as she drifted off to sleep. 

****

Jane laid in bed and shivered even though she was covered by the blanket that almost always stayed at the end of the bed. Everything in her body hurt, from her head to her toes and she let out a low moan as she twisted around to find a cool spot on her pillow for her overheated checks. She blinked her eyes open and squinted at the late afternoon light that slipped in through the blinds that Maura kept promising to replace with blackout curtains. A dark shadow passed over those same blinds and then suddenly, to her relief, the light disappeared. It took her a moment to realized that the tiny toes and elbows she had become accustomed to over the last few days were no longer digging into her side. Panic washed over as she pushed herself up on her elbows and looked around for Valley. And then everything over the past few days came back to in a sudden rush, so she dropped back down onto the pillow and let out a heavy sigh of relief. Angela and Constance had taken Valley when they got home from their trip that afternoon. And even though Jane loved Valley with all of her heart, she was grateful for a break. 

The weekend has passed in a blur as she thought back to the hours she had spent entertaining a sick toddler. Frankie and Frost had, indeed been called in to work over the weekend and Tommy had come to replace them. He didn’t bring Casey with him, but she had come by a few hours later with pizza and beer for the adults and juice pops for Valley. Of course, the pizza was vegan and Maura would have approved, but she couldn’t help but scrunch her nose when she was handed a piece covered in vegetables she couldn’t quite identify. And don’t get her started on the fake cheese. But her and Tommy had laughed it off even though she could tell he was doing everything he could to not choke on it. At least the beer was good. 

Her stomach gurgled at the thought of the pizza they’d eaten the night before and she felt queasy. She closed her eyes and concentrated on staying completely still because at the moment, she was feeling like she was on a three-hour tour with Gilligan. While she lay as still as could be, she thought about Carly and the care package of oyster crackers and the famous homemade Rizzoli chicken noodle soup, a cure all for whatever ails you. It had been a great help for Valley who was finally able to eat something yesterday, so she didn’t have to suffer through the vegan pizza too. But it had been good to see Carly, however brief it had been and to hear an update on Ryan. 

The feeling of soft lips pressing against her forehead caused her to let out a sigh of contentment. There were only two people in this world that would do that to her, so she knew immediately who was in the room with her.

“Maura?” Jane’s eye’s fluttered open to find Maura looking down at her with a look of concern. 

“How are you feeling?” Maura asked as she placed the back of her hand against Jane’s cheek.

“Like I got hit by a mac truck.” Jane closed her eyes again and turned towards Maura’s touch. 

“I think you got the same thing Valley had. It must be some kind of virus, but short lived I hope. She bounced back pretty quickly.”

“She’s with Ma and Constance.”

“I’ve already been filled in. Did you feel sick when your mother came over earlier?” Maura inquired, as her doctor’s mind took over.

“I had a bit of a headache but thought it was just from being tired.” Jane opened her eyes and tried to smile at Maura who continued to watch her with concern.

“Do you think you can drink some water? I’d like for you take this 800mg Motrin.” Maura held up a pill so Jane could see.

“I think so, but my stomach is feeling kinda wonky.” Jane pushed herself up onto her elbows again.

“Here.” Maura said handing Jane the pill and a glass of water. “Just drink a little.” She pushed Jane’s sweaty hair away from her face. 

Jane nodded and did as Maura asked. Swallowing the tepid water, she grimaced as the pill moved down her throat. She handed the glass back to Maura and laid back down. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this bad.” 

“It’s been awhile.” Maura set the glass on the night stand and sat down on the bed next to Jane.

“Hey, I thought you weren’t coming home until tomorrow.” Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura’s waist.

“I decided to come home early, and it’s a good thing I did.” 

“I’m alright.” Jane tried to smile but frowned instead.

“While I’m sure you’ll live, I’m glad I came home so I could take care of you.” Maura traced a finger down Jane’s cheek. “And now that Valley is better and is being taken care by our mom’s…I can concentrate on you.” She smiled.

“Valley’s in good hands and so am I.” Jane let out a tired sigh. “Thanks for coming home early. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Maura leaned down and placed a quick kiss to Jane’s forehead.

“Did you learn anything new at the conference?”

“Nope, nothing I didn’t already know.”

“And what is it that you already know?” Jane shifted to her side and cuddled up to Maura.

“That I don’t like being away from you and Valley.” Maura laid back against a pillow, so Jane could get comfortable. “Do you need anything right now?”

“Nope, just you. Will you lay here with me and hold me?” Jane closed her eyes as fatigue began to overtake her.

“I can’t think of anything else I’d like to do more.” Maura wrapped an arm Jane and held her close and just like that, all was right with the word.


	2. Chapter 2

*Hey everyone…I hope this finds you well. I have been busy with my original and have finally finished it. It is in the editing and revision stages, so I hope to have it available sometime in October. In the meantime, I will post information on some of my social websites throughout September (I will put info to social websites in the next chapter), so I hope that if you enjoy what I share here, you will come check out something new. Anyway, I have gotten many requests for a continuation of the Rizziles story so here it is…I hope you enjoy. Thanks again for reading

Chapter 2  
“Um, do you think we forgot something because there are way too many parts left over.” Jane sat up from her reclined position under the sink.

“Donknow…” Ryan stood with her hands on her hips looking down at Jane. “What I do know, is that we got it working.” She said as she flipped the switch on the garbage disposal and grinned at the almost silent gurgle that came from the sink. 

“And you needed a new garbage disposal, for why again?” Jane asked as she rounded up the tools and put them in the little red toolbox.

“The other one was so loud that every time we used it, Rory would cry.” Ryan turned it off and then on again, a wide grin sliding across her face. 

“Well, this one should do the trick. It’s as quiet as a church mouse.” Jane stood up and dusted herself off. “But what about all of the extra parts? Do you think we did it right?”

“Yeah, I think they give you extra stuff in case you lose something. Besides, it works like a charm.” 

“I suppose it does.” Jane nodded definitively. “How have you been feeling?” She asked.

“Good, the morning sickness is better and I’m hungry a lot.” Ryan rested her hands on the small baby bump that was finally showing. “Four and a half months in and you can finally tell I’m pregnant.”

“Aren’t you worried about having a baby so soon after having Rory?”

“Nah, by the time I have this one, Rory will almost be a year and a half.” Ryan said as she leaned back against the kitchen counter. “Hey, thanks by the way for coming over to help. I told Carly I could do it, but I kinda needed an extra set of hands.”

“No problem. And you shouldn’t be lifting or crawling around under the sink, ya know…” Jane shrugged her shoulders. “Besides, I would’ve had to go shopping with Maura and Carly if I hadn’t come over to help. And I was promised dinner.” She gave a knowing wink. 

“Me too, as long as I kept you busy while they shopped. And I was promised Thai food.” Ryan laughed.

“So, how are you, really?” Jane asked as she shoved her hands in her pockets and regarded Ryan with a serious expression.

“Everyone keeps asking me that but really, I’m okay. It was a rough road to get here but…” Ryan rubbed the small baby bump. “We did it. I was ready to give up, but Carly suggested we try one last time and, well, here we are.”

“Are you scared?” Jane pulled the rubber band from her hair and shook her head, allowing soft curls to fall over her shoulders.

“I suppose so, but it’s kinda too late for that. It’s not like I can change my mind now.” Ryan watched Jane fidget with a curious expression on her face. “Why all the questions?”

“Well, we’ve been talking…ya know.” Jane shrugged her shoulders again. “About having a baby, that is. Nothing serious yet, but…” she sighed heavily. “I know Maura is ready. I’m just not sure if I am.”

“What’re you talking about. You’re great with Valley and Rory too.” Ryan seemed confused by Jane’s admission.

“It’s not that. It’s just we haven’t decided who will, ya know…” Jane ducked her head before continuing. “Who will be the one to get pregnant.” She whispered that last word.

“Oh, I get it.” Ryan nodded knowingly. “The thought can a bit daunting. But I think you’ll find the decision isn’t hard to make if it’s something you really want.” Her expression turned serious. “It is something you want, isn’t it?”

Jane was quiet for a moment as she thought about her answer. “Yeah, I would love to have a baby with Maura. I guess I’m just scared. I always thought that Maura would the one to get pregnant but I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Would you be willing to do it if for some reason Maura couldn’t?”   
Jane shoved her hands deeper in her pockets and looked up at the ceiling before releasing a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I would. I think that’s what scares me the most. With her new job and stuff, I’m not sure she’ll be able to swing it right now.”

“It’s not so bad.” Ryan tried to reassure. “Really…” she emphasized when Jane lifted a suspicious eyebrow in question. “And if I can do it, so can you.”

“We’re not there yet, but thanks.” Jane smiled and put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her smile grew bigger when she heard the front door open. “Sounds like dinner has arrived.”

“Great! I’m starving.” Ryan spun around and headed towards the smell of food.

Jane watched Ryan rush out of the kitchen to help with the take-out bags. Opening a drawer, she gathered some utensils and then some plates, setting them on the counter.

“Hey, babe…” Maura suddenly appeared with a sleeping child in her arms. “I’m just gonna go lay her down. I’ll be back in a minute.” She gave Jane a quick wink before she disappeared around the corner.

The sight of Maura with a ten-month-old wrapped in her arms made Jane smile. It gave her that same warm feeling she got when she saw Maura with Valley and it made her realize that she was ready to take the next step, even if it meant she might be the one to get pregnant. As she gathered the plates and eating utensils, she didn’t hear Maura come back until she felt strong arms snake around her waist from behind. She leaned into the warmth and comfort she always felt when Maura was near and sighed at the familiar touch.

“You seem to be pondering something quite important. Wanna tell me?” Maura whispered into Jane’s ear before placing a kiss on the exposed skin just under that same ear.

“Nah, just thinking about something Ryan said earlier…” Jane said as she placed her hands over Maura’s. 

Maura pulled back to get a better look at the contemplative look on Jane’s face. “You sure?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just missed you.” Jane tried to reassure with her trademark crooked grin, but Maura continued to look at her skeptically. “Really…” she emphasized with a quick kiss to Maura’s cheek. “And I’m hungry.” Her stomach growled as if on cue and they both laughed.

Letting go, Maura gave Jane a gentle shove towards the living room. “I’ll let it go for now, but this conversation isn’t over.” She said as she grabbed some plates, handing them to Jane before picking up the forks and napkins.  
Jane tried to smile but it looked strained, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Maura who frowned at her in question. She wasn’t sure what was bothering her at the moment, all she knew was that she wasn’t ready to have such an important conversation standing in Ryan and Carly’s kitchen. 

“We’ll talk later, and I promise that there isn’t anything to worry about. Okay?” Jane said with a soft smile that was genuine this time.

Maura was quiet as she contemplated what was said and then nodded when Jane smiled at her. She could tell it was nothing to worry about, but her curiosity had been piqued. “Okay. But you’ve got me wondering and you know what happens when I start to ponder things.”

“Yes, I do.” Jane’s eyes swept over Maura, landing on her hazel-green eyes filled with interest. “So, don’t let that big brained imagination get away from you.” She leaned over and placed a quick kiss to the tip of Maura’s nose. “Better?”

“For now.” Maura tried to huff impatiently but her smile gave away her lack of frustration.

“Let’s go eat, I’m starving.”

“Hey, grab some bowls and spoons…” Ryan called out from the living room.

Jane raised her eyebrows in question as Maura set the forks down and headed towards the cabinet that held the bowls. “We got some chicken and coconut soup.” She answered Jane’s unasked question.

“But I don’t like coconut.” Jane frowned as she watched Maura pull four bowls down and grab four spoons from the silverware drawer.

“It doesn’t taste like coconut.” Maura set the bowls on top of the plates Jane was holding.

“How is that possible? You said it was coconut soup.” Jane pressed as she stepped aside to allow Maura to pass. “Hey…” she called out as Maura left her standing alone in the kitchen waiting for an answer.

“Trust me…” Maura called out.

“The last time you said that my lips went numb from the spicy green curry you said wasn’t that hot.” Jane groused as she followed Maura out of the kitchen. 

“Blah, blah…” Maura shrugged her shoulders in response.

“Did I hear someone mention green curry?” Carly asked as she placed several containers on the coffee table.

“I just love green curry chicken, don’t you?” Maura set the forks and spoons down with the napkins.

“I do.” Ryan raised her hand as she examined a container to see what was in it. “Oh, you got me Pad Thai.” She said excitedly.

“Even though it’s boring, yes, I got you Pad Thai.” Carly took the plates and bowls from Jane and gave her an understanding wink. 

Digging around in the takeout bag, Ryan oohed and aahed at the right times causing Jane to roll her eyes. “Fried rice, basil and pork, chicken and cashews…” she continued to pull containers out and set them down. “And egg rolls with sweet chili sauce. What’d you get for everyone else?” 

Jane’s eyes widened in concern as she watched Ryan. “You’re joking right?” 

“She’s joking, but only a little.” Carly laughed. “How about I spoon out the soup but let everyone fill their plates however they want.” 

“Sounds like a plan.” Maura set the bowls out so Carly could fill them each. 

“But I don’t like coconut.” Jane crossed her arms and poked out her bottom lip.

“It doesn’t taste like coconut…” Ryan said as she continued to look through the food. “It just tastes a little sweet.”

“Alright, I’ll give it a try, but I don’t haveta like it…” Jane said, taking a bowl and then giving it a quick sniff. Her expression changed from disgust to curiosity when she discovered it didn’t smell like coconut.

“Okay, grab a plate everyone and get what you want before I take it all.” Ryan said as she started to fill her own plate. 

“I’m glad to see you’ve gotten your appetite back, honey.” Carly reached over to give Ryan’s leg a gentle pat.

“Yeah, and it’s back with a vengeance.” Ryan didn’t look up from her plate as she continued to pile food on it. 

“It’s very common to experience nausea in the first trimester.” Maura said as she followed Ryan around with her own plate.

“Yeah, it really sucked.” Ryan nodded in agreement. “But I guess you’ll find that out if you guys decide to have a baby too.”

Maura stopped filling her plate and looked from Ryan to Jane who wouldn’t quite meet her gaze. She realized what it was that had made Jane so contemplative earlier. It had been a touchy subject for them, something they hadn’t talked about in detail but something they’d talked about none the less. When Jane finally looked at her, she tried to give her a reassuring smile to let her know she understood and got a small nod in return.

“You guys thinking about having a baby?” Carly asked casually.

Glancing at Jane again, Maura decided to take the question herself. “We’ve discussed it, yes.”

“That’s great. Which one of you will get pregnant?” Carly picked up her soup and sat down on the couch. She cradled the bowl and blew on it to try and cool it off.

“We haven’t gotten that far.” Jane sat next to her and looked in her bowl wishing she could disappear.

“Well, I think it’s great that you guys are talking about it. That’s the first step. We’ve got a great doctor, but I guess you know that already.” Ryan glanced over at Maura and smiled.

“The best in the business.” Maura smiled back. 

“This just proves it.” Ryan ran a hand over her baby bump, the grin on her face growing larger.

Jane finally looked up and smiled genuinely. She knew how hard it had been for Ryan to get pregnant and what she had gone through to make it happen. And the fact that Carly had stepped up for the first one made her realize that she would do the same for   
Maura if it was what Maura wanted. “I’m glad it worked out for you guys.” She looked from Ryan to Carly, and then Maura reserving a quick wink for last to let Maura know she was okay. 

“Me too. I don’t know how much longer I could take those injections.” Ryan said around a mouthful of food. “But it’ll be worth it.” 

“Hey, do me a favor… don’t mention this to my Ma. She’s already dropping hints left and right about it, so I don’t want to give her any more reason to bug us.” Jane turned to Carly who pretended to lock her mouth with a hidden key before throwing it away. 

“Yeah, I get it.” Carly grinned. “My mom couldn’t wait to give us her opinion.”

“Who has Valley tonight?” Ryan asked.

“She’s spending the evening with Frankie and his girlfriend. She has her son this weekend so they took them to the zoo and then that pizza place with the games and stuff.” Maura said as she sat down with her plate.

“He’s really serious about this one, isn’t he?” Carly asked around a mouthful of food.

“He is. Even schooled me while Maura was away and Valley got sick.” Jane said.

“How’s Tommy?” Ryan asked.

“He’s good. Got a good job and a girlfriend.” Maura took a bite of her food.

"Yeah, she’s a vegan.” It was all Jane could think to say as she grimaced at the thought of the pizza she had been forced to eat several weeks ago.

“It’s good that he’s doing well.” Carly sighed. “He’s had a rough go of it for a while.”

“He has, but thanks to Ryan… he got the break he needed.” Jane gave a gentle pat to Ryan’s leg and smiled. 

“I may have gotten him the break, but he’s done the hard work and kept himself clean.” Ryan did her best to accept the praise even though it made her uncomfortable.

“Well, I like his girlfriend. She’s good with kids and Valley loves her.” Maura said around a mouthful of Pad Thai.

“Hey, you shouldn’t talk with food in your mouth.” Jane said as she tipped her bowl of soup back to get the last drop out of it.

“And you shouldn’t doubt me when I tell you that you’ll like something.” Maura smirked.

Jane cleared her throat and tried not to look sheepish. “I didn’t doubt you.” She mumbled as she grabbed a plate to fill. “Did you leave anything for me?” The question was directed at Ryan who only shrugged her shoulders as she continued to eat. 

“Hey, how are things at the clinic?” Carly asked.

“Everything is running smoothly. We’re getting ready to interview for the mental health department.” Maura smiled at Jane who pouted slightly. 

“What’s that look for?” Ryan pointed at Jane with her chopsticks. 

“I think Jane wants me to interview for a new assistant.” Maura tried not to laugh.

“Hey…” Jane tried to glare at Maura with her most serious expression. “She’s too pretty…” her voice trailed off as she put food in her mouth so she would shut up before she got in more trouble.

“Oh my God, Jane.” Carly set her plate down. “You of all people should know not to judge someone by their looks.”

“I’m not judging.” Jane tried to defend herself. “It’s just… well… I don’t know…” she shrugged her shoulders. 

“You’re jealous.” Ryan’s eyes lit up as if she had just come up with a new revelation.

“No, I’m not.” Jane looked scandalized. 

“I get it.” Carly picked her plate up again and began to poke at her food. “I’m not sure I’d feel any differently if Ryan’s assistant looked like Kelly.”

“Would it make any difference if I told you that she’s straight?” Maura sighed at yet again having to announce this detail.

“No…” Ryan, Jane, and Carly said at the same time. 

“So, what you’re saying is that you don’t trust me?” Maura raised an eyebrow in question.

“No, nope… no… that’s not what I’m saying.” Jane tried to dig herself out of the hole she had gotten herself into.

“Well, I have a thing for brunettes, not blondes… if you haven’t noticed.” Maura smirked at Jane before giving Carly a quick wink.

“So, what you’re saying is that you and I will never have a chance?” Ryan’s eyes were wide with innocence as she asked the question.

Maura was quiet as three sets of eyes fell on her, waiting for an answer. “Sorry babe, but Carly’s more my type.” She said nonchalantly. Her statement caused Jane to choke on her food and Carly and Ryan to laugh.

“You’re… evil, you… know… that?” Jane stuttered as she tried to catch her breath.

“You do know that you have nothing to worry about, right?” Maura turned serious.

Jane nodded as she swallowed hard to quell a cough. “I do.” Her voice trembled slightly with uncertainty. 

“No, really… you have nothing to worry about.” Maura reached out to touch Jane on the arm. “You mean everything to me.”

Swallowing hard, Jane nodded. “I know. I really do…” she sighed as she tried to push her insecurities away because she really did know she had nothing to worry about. 

“How’s the teaching gig at the academy?” Ryan decided it was time to change the subject.

With a grateful smile, Jane acknowledged what Ryan had done. “It’s good. I’ve got a lot of freedom with my schedule and I get to spend more time with Valley. In fact, I took her up there last week.”

“Yeah? How’d that go?” Carly asked.

“She came home barking orders like a drill Sargent if that tells you anything.” Maura laughed. “Poor Joe Friday didn’t know whether she was coming or going.”

The memory of taking Valley to work brought a smile to Jane’s face. Everyone loved having her there, even the tough guys couldn’t resist the toddler’s charms. “She had a great time bossing everyone around.” 

“I bet she was like a miniature version of Jane. That’s kinda scary if you think about it.” Ryan giggled and then cleared her throat. “Um, I don’t know where that sound just came from.” She put her hand to her chest and raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I’ve never… I’ve never giggled like that before.”

“There are a lot of things you’ll do that you’ve never done before, now that you’re pregnant.”   
Carly warned rather cryptically. 

Ryan’s eyes widened with curiosity. “You want to enlighten me?” She directed her question to her wife who only smirked in return. “Come on…” she wined. 

“Nope, I think I’ll let some things remain a mystery.” Carly’s smirk was followed by a playful wink.

Ryan directed her attention to Maura who shook her head. “She’s the expert.” She hitched her thumb at Carly who started to laugh heartily. 

“About the only thing I know more about than you.” Carly grinned.

“But you’re a doctor, Maura.” Ryan pleaded.

“Sorry, champ. Not this time.” Maura smiled apologetically. 

“Well, you guys suck.” Ryan crossed her arms and pouted. But then her mood suddenly changed, and she turned to Carly with a hopeful expression on her face. “Did you get the caramel-filled ice cream cones for dessert?”

“Of course, I did.” Carly rolled her eyes dramatically. “As if you needed to ask.”

Pushing herself up from her seat, Ryan clapped her hands together and grinned wickedly. “Oh, yeah.” She cheered a little too enthusiastically, drawing a stern look from Carly. “Sorry…” she said quietly. “Don’t want to wake the little bean up, or I’ll haveta share.”

“She’s eating ice cream?” Jane seemed surprised by the statement.

“She’s teething and it soothes her gums.” Carly explained. “The teething ring works well, but this one here…” she pointed at Ryan who had the decency to look admonished and shake her head. “She can’t resist those cute chubby cheeks.”

“She’s about eight, nine months now, right?” Maura asked as she picked up all the empty plates to take to the kitchen.

“Close…” Carly sighed sadly. “She’ll be eleven months on the fifteenth. I just want to keep her like this for a little longer. Time seems to be flying by.” 

“Tell me about it. Yesterday, Valley told me she didn’t need me to help her brush her teeth anymore because she was a big girl.” Jane gave Carly an understanding nod. “Sometimes I just want to hold her tight so she can’t get any bigger.”

“We have a lot of fun things to look forward to, as well.” Maura offered hopefully. 

“I know, but I’m gonna miss those chubby little cheeks.” Carly smiled sadly. “But we do have her first birthday to plan and I for one can’t wait.” 

“Well, let’s hear all about it.” Jane smiled at Maura who gave her a quick wink as she disappeared down the hall towards the kitchen with the dirty dishes in her hands.

“We have so many ideas. Maybe you and Maura can help.” Carly’s excitement bubbled over as she spoke.

Jane sat back and listened, feeling Carly’s excitement as if it were her own. She was amazed by the fact that it had almost been a year since Rory had been born and Valley had come to live with them. A lot had changed in that year and with a twinge of anticipation and fear, she realized that there was still a lot more to come.

***

“Hey, you ready to talk?” Maura asked as she pulled the sheets back on their bed. The hopeful tone of her voice caused Jane to pause with one leg in a pair of boxer shorts and look up, surprise written all over her face.

“Come again…” Jane finished putting her leg in her boxers and pulled them on. She dropped her gaze from Maura’s as she pulled a tank top over her head and then couldn’t bring herself to meet it again. Her uncertainty radiated off her as she pulled the sheets down on her side of the bed, but instead of climbing in, she nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“I asked if you wanted to talk?” Maura asked as she watched Jane fidget about. “You know, about having a baby.” She pressed when Jane finally looked at her with a confused look on her face.

“Oh, you want to do this now?” Jane shifted her gaze again, intimidated by the seriousness of Maura’s candor. 

“Now is as good a time as any.” Maura dropped down in bed and gave Jane an expectant look. If she wanted to know what was going on in Jane’s mind, she would have to apply just the right amount of pressure or Jane would retreat and she’d have to wait until tomorrow to try again.

“What do you want to talk about?” Jane continued to shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other, standing over the bed looking down at Maura. 

“Well, it’s apparent that you talked to Ryan about us having another baby. I’d like to know what you think.” 

“Um… okay.” Jane hesitated and then finally sat down next to Maura and crossed her legs. “What do you want to know?”

“This doesn’t have to be so difficult, ya know.” Maura sighed heavily in frustration. “We’ve already broached the subject, but you haven’t really told me how you feel.”

“Well…” Jane leaned back against a pillow and nervously ran her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know where to start.” She said honestly because she really didn’t know where to start the conversation.

“Let’s start at the beginning.” Maura offered as she leaned back next to Jane. She turned on her side so she could look into dark, brown eyes and reached out to rest her hand on Jane’s arm. “I’ve already told you that I think it might be too soon for me to take time off from the clinic when it’s just getting off the ground. There’s still so much I have to do before we’re established enough for me to do that.”

“I know.” Jane couldn’t help sounding tired as she shifted slightly to see Maura better. “What are you saying?” She asked even though she already knew the answer.

Maura was quiet for a moment and studied Jane in the dim light as they lay side by side in bed together. She could see fear, uncertainty, and to her surprise, the flicker of excitement in Jane’s eyes. At first, she wasn’t sure she should answer the question but that flicker of excitement she saw spurred her on. “What I’m saying… what I’m asking you…” she let out a heavy sigh. “Is if you’d be willing to carry the baby… this time.”

Silence fell over them as Jane nibbled her bottom lip in concentration. The sad, uncertain look on Maura’s face broke Jane’s heart. “I’ve thought about it.” She let out a long, heavy breath as she tried to steady her voice. “And, well… if this is what you really, truly want…” the words came out on a slight stutter, so she cleared her throat to sound surer of herself. “Then, yes.”

Tear’s pooled in Maura’s eyes as the implications of Jane had said sank in. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do. I need to know that you want this too.”

“Um, I think so… yeah…” Jane tried to nod emphatically but her indecision was clear.

“I won’t ask you to do this if it’s something you don’t want.”

Jane smiled as she reached out to wipe away the tears that had started to roll down Maura’s cheeks. “I’m sure.” She said with more confidence. “I just always thought we’d decide this with a coin toss… ya know, to make it fair.” The recollection of the dream she had when she got shot came back to her. 

“We can still do that. I think I have a two-headed quarter somewhere.” Maura wrapped her arms around Jane and snuggled against her.

“Hey, is that the same coin we used to decide who has to get up early to let Joe out on Saturdays and Sundays?” Jane pulled back from Maura’s hug to look at her.

Maura ducked her head and tucked it under Jane’s chin. “Um… maybe…” Maura mumbled against the warm skin her cheek lay against. “Should I make an appointment?” She asked as she continued to soak up Jane’s body heat, not willing to let go.

Jane was quiet for a moment as she held Maura against her. She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, one that Maura could feel. She was nervous and scared at the prospect of becoming pregnant, but it didn’t mean she wouldn’t do it.

“We don’t have to do this, ya know. We can wait.” Maura tried to reassure.

“No, it’s okay. But do you think that maybe we can wait until next month so I can kinda get used to the idea? And if we time it right, the due date could be around spring break at the academy so I can use that time for maternity leave as well.” Jane knew the words were coming out of her own mouth, but she couldn’t quite believe she was the one saying them. “Wow…” she cleared her throat nervously. “I can’t believe I just said that.

“I love you.” Maura pulled back so she could look at Jane. 

“Yeah?” Jane smiled smugly.

“Yeah, you big goof.” Maura pushed Jane further back against their pillows and then straddled her hips. “Let me show you how much.” 

“I think the proofs in the pudding…” Jane laughed lightly as Maura wiggled around to find a comfortable position.

The comment caused Maura to look down at Jane with an odd expression on her face. “The proofs in the pudding?” She tilted her head to the side as she thought about it. “But I’d say you’ve found plenty of proof… in my pudding.” When she smiled, it was coy and seductive causing Jane to swallow hard. “But if I must, I’ll prove it to you… over and over… and over again until you’ve got all the proof you need.”

“Well, you know… I am a police officer and proof is pretty important.” Jane said as she put her hands on Maura’s hips to pull her closer.

“Well, if anything… I am thorough.” Maura leaned closer allowing her lips to hover over Jane’s. “But…” she pushed away just before their lips could touched. “All of this talk of pudding is making me hungry… for pudding.”

“What?” Jane asked as Maura climbed off her lap. 

Maura was too quick for Jane to stop as she jumped off the bed and sauntered over towards the door. She glanced over her shoulder to find Jane watching her with a mixture of frustration and desire. Crooking her finger, she indicated that Jane should follow her and stopped to wait until Jane did. 

“Ugh, you’re evil… ya know that?” Jane groaned as she got out of bed and obediently followed Maura.

“If I was evil, would I let you lick my spoon?” Maura wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Um, I take it back.” Jane’s feet moved quicker to catch up. “You are definitely not evil.” She offered as she raced past Maura towards the kitchen and the chocolate snack packs of sugarfree pudding that waited for them in the kitchen, finally letting go of all the uncertainty and apprehension she had felt earlier. If every day with Maura was like this, she knew she had nothing to worry about.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry this has taken me so long to get out, but I’ve been busy trying to finish up my first original. Who knew that writing a book took so much work? Just in case I didn’t make it clear… it’s pretty hard but I am nearing the finish line for a final draft. Anyway… Happy Holidays to everyone and as always… Thanks for reading. 😊 

Chapter 3

The early morning sun was just beginning to peak over the darkened horizon, painting the sky with pink and orange ribbons as Jane made her way across the backyard towards the guest house with Valley tucked in her arms. A unicorn backpack was slung over one shoulder and a sleepy toddler over the other as she followed the pathway towards the front door where her mother stood and waited.

“I don’t know why I agreed to meet up with Frankie and Frost this early in the morning for a run, but I’m starting to have second thoughts...” Jane said as she approached Angela, standing in the doorway with a small smirk on her face.

“It just means I get to spend more time with my little jelly bean.” Angela reached out to take Valley from Jane’s arms. “Morning Joe, go do your business before I let you in.” She said to the little pup at her feet as she held Valley close to her.

“And a good morning to you too, Ma.” Jane pouted.

“Sorry, but sometimes I just can ‘t help myself around this little cutie.” Angela playfully pinched Valley’s side causing her to giggle even though she was only half awake. “Maura getting ready for work?”

“She’s already left, had an early morning meeting before the clinic opened.” Jane tiredly ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. “I don’t know how she does it, Ma. She never sleeps.”

“I’m sure that’s an exaggeration, but she does work hard, I know. Things will get better with time, I’m sure.” Pressing her cheek against Valley’s, Angela gave Jane a hopeful smile. “You knew it would take time for things to settle after the clinic opened.”

“I know, but she’s working just as much as when we were on the force but at least we got to work together. Now, I hardly see her.” The pout was back as Jane’s shoulders slumped.

“These things take time.” Angela reached out to give Jane’s cheek a gentle pat. “It’ll all be worth it in the end. I can take Valley tonight if you need some time alone.” She offered as a consolation.

Biting her lip in thought, Jane looked down at her feet as she contemplated the last time she and Maura had spent an evening alone. “Maybe, if Maura doesn’t have to work late.”

“So, what if she does? I’ll make you a nice lasagna that you can keep warm in the oven and you can have a nice dinner no matter what time. In fact, I think I have one of Maura’s favorite red wines somewhere in there.” She hitched a thumb over her shoulder to indicated she was talking about her kitchen. 

“Thanks, Ma. I guess we’ll take you up on keeping Valley for the night.” Jane tried to smile, but the early hour was making it difficult. “Whatcha got planned for today?”

Angela shifted her weight from one foot to the other as Valley wiggled a little in her arms to find a comfortable place to rest her head. “A trip to Costco.” She said with a smile. “You need anything?”

Furrowing her brow, Jane pondered the question. “I’ll ask Maura and text you later if that’s okay.”

“That’ll work…” Angela said, then looked down at Joe Friday who waited patiently to be let in. “You all done?” She asked the pup and got a quick bark in return. “You want to come in for a cup of coffee before you head out? You look like you could use some caffeine.”

“Nah, I told Frankie I’d meet them at 7:00, so I’d better head out.” Jane sighed heavily. “You know, she’ll probably sleep another hour or two if you let her.” She said as she leaned closer to her daughter to place a quick kiss on her forehead. “Love ya, Butterbean.” The term of endearment caused Valley to giggle again.

“Another nickname?” Angela asked. “I can’t keep up with them all.” She huffed in mock indignation.

“This one’ll make you laugh. Have her sing you the Butterbean song and you’ll get it.” Jane smirked as she turned to leave. “Love you guys.” She called out with a tired wave of the hand before disappearing through the sliding back door into the house. 

“Butterbean…” Valley giggled again as she nestled closer to Angela. 

“You still tired, baby girl?” She asked as she pushed honey blonde bangs away from sleepy dark, brown eyes. “How ‘bout we lay down for a little while?” Valley nodded and snuggled closer.

Angela carried her precious cargo and the unicorn backpack into the living room. “Let’s make you a nice spot on the couch so Joe Friday can join you.” She said as she set Valley down and began to prop up some pillows at one end. “This should be good.” 

Valley wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands before crawling over to the pile of pillows her Nona had arranged for her. “Tank you, Nona…” she sighed as she laid down and waited for the soft blanket to cover her. Popping back up to look around for Joe Friday, she frowned. “Where’s Joe?” Her voice trembled with uncertainty as she continued to look around.

“She’s right here.” Angela gave the space next to Valley a little pat to cox Joe Friday up on the couch. “But don’t tell Mommy, you know how she feels about Joe being on the furniture.”

Valley nodded, indicating she understood that it was their secret and waited patiently for the little pup to spin around several times to find a comfortable spot to drop down on. When Joe Friday was finally settled, she wrapped an arm around her and closed her eyes.

“I’m going to go get a cup of coffee, I’ll be right back.” Angela leaned down, giving Valley a quick kiss on the forehead and Joe Friday a scratch behind the ear. Both of her charges sighed contently as they drifted off to sleep. 

As Angela tip-toed across the hardwood floor towards the kitchen, she couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder at her granddaughter. Her heart filled with joy at the sight of the sleeping toddler and she said a small prayer of thanks. She cherished these moments that filled her day with the wonder and excitement of being a grandmother and jumped at the opportunity to spend time with Valley whenever Jane and Maura offered. Of course, living next door made it an easy and frequent task, something she adored.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee indicated the coffee maker had finished its job, so she grabbed a mug and filled it about two thirds, leaving enough room for her cream. Standing at the sink with the hot cup in her hand, she stared out the window and took a tentative sip to make sure it wasn’t too hot. The aroma tickled her nose with the promise that the fancy coffee maker Maura had insisted she use had produced a good cup of coffee. She watched the sky outside change color before her eyes as the sun’s rays finally reached the backyard, casting everything in long shadows that now painted the grass in bright light and shade. A long, slow sigh escaped from her lips. It was as if she had been holding her breath since Jane left, afraid to let it out for fear that Jane would sense her unease. The thought that things were about to get harder for her daughter and daughter-in-law taunted her, causing that worry line to appear between her eyebrows as she frowned. With Maura’s schedule at the clinic taking precedence over everything else, she couldn’t help but worry at the toll it was taking on Jane and Valley. It was, however, something they had talked about and something they had all accepted to allow Maura the chance to fulfill a lifetime goal. But the cost was something she wasn’t sure was worth the price.

Taking a sip of coffee, Angela smiled at the rich, creamy taste that rolled over her taste buds and let out another sigh, but this was one of contentment. She had seen times like these come and go with Jane and Maura and every single time they had come out stronger on the other side, so she knew things would be okay. They always were when it came to her girls. They loved each other too much to let anything get in the way and that included crazy schedules. 

The chime of her phone in the next room indicated she had received a text message, so she carried her coffee towards the big leather chair she loved to curl up in. Setting her cup down, she grabbed the soft, fleece blanket that lay over the back of the chair and wrapped it around her legs before she sat down, tucking her legs beneath her.

“Let’s see who’s texting me this early in the morning.” She whispered to herself as she grabbed her phone to see who it was. With the swipe of a finger, she brought the home screen up and clicked the message button to find a message from Constance waiting for her. “Hmmm…” she pressed the button to open the text and smiled at the words.

“Have a free day, was wondering if you might like to go to lunch and do some shopping.” The message read and Angela glanced over at Valley before typing out her answer.

“Spending the day with Valley. Would love for you to join us.” 

“Sounds like a dream. Shall I pick you up?”

“Sure, if you don’t mind taking us to Costco.” Angela typed back, a small smile spreading across her face at the prospect of taking Constance to Costco.

“What’s a Costco?”

Angela laughed out loud at the response, even though she had expected it. “It’s a big store that has just about everything you could possibly imagine.”

“Okay then. What time?” Constance answered back.

“Let’s make it eleven o’clock. And don’t bring that deathtrap convertible.” Angela frowned as she typed that last line. 

“You do realize that deathtrap convertible is a Mercedes, one of the safest cars on the road?”

“Don’t care.” Even though Constance couldn’t see her, Angela poked her bottom lip out in a mock pout. 

“Okay, I’ll bring the Range Rover.” Constance conceded. 

“See you at eleven.” Angela smiled triumphantly at the answer she received in Constance’s last message that was followed by a thumb’s up emoji. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the use of the emoji that Constance at one time refused to use because she thought it was juvenile to respond to texts with pictures, that is until Valley showed her how fun they could be. 

“Well…” Angela said, causing Joe Friday’s ears to perk up with curiosity. “I think we have our day planned.” She leaned back into her chair and turned on the tv to watch her favorite morning shows. With a soft snort, Joe Friday acknowledged her words before going back to sleep. 

***  
Jane bent over and rested her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She could hear Frost’s heavy breathing next to her, followed by Frankie who finished the mile run right behind them.

“Nine minutes and eighteen seconds.” Frankie panted as he looked at his Apple watch. “Not bad. That beats my last time by three seconds and I almost caught up to you guys.” He said, pushing sweaty bangs away from his eyes so he could look at Jane and Frost.

“Still doesn’t beat us though.” Frost waved a hand at Jane and then himself. 

“I know.” Frankie huffed. “But she’s a robot.” He pointed to Jane and scowled.

Silence followed his insult, causing him to raise a suspicious eyebrow in her direction. “Hey…” his voice was tentative and unsure. “What gives? You’ve been quiet all morning.”

Jane continued to bend over as she tried to catch her breath, shrugging her shoulders in answer.

“Yeah…” Frost gave her a curious glance. “You’ve usually danced around two or three times in a victory circle by now, singing ‘I am the champion’.”

Pushing herself up to stand tall, Jane took a long, exaggerated breath before looking up at the sky and releasing it. The sun was finally up, painting the horizon with warm yellow streaks across a light blue background and she shivered even though sweat ran down her forehead and cheeks. She had pushed herself hard to finish first, as she always did, but this time something else spurred her on other than the sweet taste of victory.

“Janie?” Frankie put a hand on Jane’s shoulder, pulling her from her deepening thoughts. “What’s up?” His brotherly instincts were kicking in, giving him the sense that something was wrong with his normally boisterous, if not annoyingly obnoxious sister.

Taking another deep breath, Jane wiped at the sweat that continued to run down into her eyes, at least she told herself it was sweat. “It’s nothing.” She said as she stalked off towards the bleachers and the bag that held her sweatshirt and bottle of water. She didn’t glance back to see if they were following her nor could she make eye contact because she was afraid that they would press her further with more questions she wasn’t ready or even sure she could answer. She should have known better though. They did follow her and the expressions on their faces said everything they didn’t need to. “What?” She frowned at the worried looks directed her way.

“Whatever it is you’re selling, we ain’t buyin’.” Frost said.

When Jane reached her bag, she grabbed her sweatshirt and pulled it over her sweat-soaked t-shirt before plopping down on the closest bleacher.

“You may as well spit it out, cause we ain’t leaving till you come clean.” Frankie looked down at her, his hands on his hips and his head cocked to the side in question. 

“Alright, alright…” she threw her hands up in the air in surrender. Taking a moment to think about what she wanted to say drew an impatient ‘Well’ from both Frost and Frankie at the same time causing her to scowl at them both. 

Her mind wandered to the thing that was bothering her and her hesitancy drew a frustrated huff from above, so she nodded her head indicating she was ready to talk. She sat quietly and waited for Frost to take the empty space on her left and Frankie to take the one on her right. They sat in quiet contemplation as the air stirred up a dust devil that moved past where they sat, kicking up dirt and debris in its wake. When it disappeared in a flourish of dust, Jane cleared her throat, indicating she was ready to speak.

“Maura and I haven’t had sex in over a month.” The words tumbled from Jane’s mouth, surprising all three of them.

Frankie was quiet as he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing over at Frost for help but all he got in return was a shoulder shrug and shake of the head.

“What? No smart ass remarks?” Jane rolled her eyes. 

“What do you want me to say? Sorry?” Frankie finally spoke.

“You pushed me to talk and that’s all you’ve got? Thanks, but no thanks.” She went to push herself up but was stopped by Frost’s hand on her arm.

“Hey, wait a sec.” Frost gave Frankie a stern look. “What’s going on? You and Maura okay?” 

Jane’s shoulders dropped as she relaxed back down on the bench. “Yeah, we’re fine. It’s just we haven’t been able to spend any alone time together and when we do…well…she’s just too tired to do anything but go to sleep. I miss her.”

“I’m sure it’ll all pass once things settle down at the clinic.” Frost tried to reason. “You guys knew things were going to be hectic for a while.”

“I know and yes…” Jane let out a heavy sigh. “We knew things were going to be like this, but I still miss her…” she hesitated and shook her head. “I miss us.”

“You need us to watch the munchkin so you can have some alone time?” Frankie offered with a note of enthusiasm in his voice.

“It isn’t that...” Jane said. “Although I do appreciate the offer and Valley does love spending time with you and all…” she gave him a small, thankful smile. “We have our alone time, in fact, Valley has been sleeping in her own room every night, except that one night I let her watch Snow White. Man, I didn’t realize how scary that movie is with the ugly old witch and all. It took a week to get her eat apples again.” 

“Yeah, that is a creepy one.” Frankie shivered.

“So, what is it? What’s got you so mopey?” Frost asked.

“I don’t know. I guess I just wonder what she’s doing all day. When we worked together at the department, I saw her all the time. Now…” she shrugged again, at a loss for words.

“Well, what’s your schedule for today?” Frost stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back on the bleacher to look up at the sky.

“I’ve got classes until twelve and then one more at two o’clock this afternoon, then I’m done for the day.” Jane tilted her head back to look at Frost, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Why don’t you take her lunch and spend an hour with her at the clinic. That way you get to spend some time together and see what’s she doing.” 

“That’s a great idea…” Frankie interjected. “I love it when Steph brings me lunch. “It makes me feel special and I get to spend some time with her.”

“Maybe…” Jane sounded skeptical.

“Maybe nothing.” Frost pressed. “Call Carly and have her make you a nice picnic lunch and just do it. It will be romantic and show initiative.”

“Okay, I’ll give it to you…it’s a good idea.” Jane acknowledged with a smile, but before she could say anything else, both Frost and Frankie’s cell phones went off at the same time.

“Rizzoli…” “Frost…” Both said at the same time and it made Jane smile at the memory of her and Maura answering at the same time with “Rizzoli…Isles…” except now it was Rizzoli-Isles because they were married. And then suddenly, she felt a flutter in her chest at the thought that they were indeed partners in life, and she needed to remind herself and Maura that no matter how busy they got, it was important to make time for each other. So, with that in mind, she pulled out her phone and called Carly to ask her to make a picnic lunch so she could dial up the romance knob if only just for one day.

***  
“Um, what is the name of this place again? Costmore?” Constance asked as she looked around the large warehouse filled with everything she could possibly imagine and even things she couldn’t.

“It’s Costco…” Angela said as she placed Valley in the shopping cart. She smiled at her granddaughter who held up the seat belt indicating she should snap it. 

“Costco…” Valley nodded her head as if she had known the name all along. “We at Costco, Gigi.” She pointed to the steel corrugated ceiling above her and then looked around, her eyes as wide as Constance’s from all the stimuli surrounding them.

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before. It looks quite intriguing.” Constance gave Valley’s belly a playful pinch causing the toddler to laugh.

“This is one of our favorite places to spend an afternoon, isn’t it, Valley.” Angela grinned at the look on Constance’s face as they moved past large pallets of the products featured for the month. “And you can get pretty much anything you need, from food to TVs and even tires. But our favorite…” she tickled Valley lightly causing them both to laugh. “Our favorite is the samples. Right, Butterbean?”

Casting a sideways glance at Angela, Constance couldn’t disguise the look of confusion on her face. “Butterbean? What happened to Alley Roo?” She asked.

“I don’t know. The nicknames change daily, and I can’t seem to keep up.” Angela answered with a crooked grin. “But apparently there is a song we need to listen to get a better understanding of this new one.” 

“Butterbean…butterbean…” Valley giggled. 

“Yep, Butterbean it is today.” Angela sighed as she pushed the oversized shopping cart past the TVs.

“What in the world is the Butterbean song?” Constance asked as she trailed behind Angela, still looking around in awe.

“You know, Gigi…” Valley interjected. “Butterbean song by B2’s.” She stated matter-o-fact.

Constance looked at Angela to see if she understood what Valley was saying. When Angela shrugged her shoulders, it was all the confirmation she needed to realize she was out of touch with pop culture. “I have no idea what you’re going on about, but I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.” She said as she looked around at the huge pallets of products lining the aisles. 

“You got my list?” Angela asked Valley who held up a piece of paper. “Good girl. Now, where should we start?”

“Toys!” Valley cheered and held her arms up in the air.

“We’ll get to the toys, I promise but I think we should start with the kitchen stuff. I need some new casserole dishes for your mommies so I can put some meals in the freezer, so you don’t have to eat take out when they’re too tired to cook dinner.” Angela turned the cart towards one massive aisle filled with dishes and pots and pans. 

“Still working the late nights?” Constance asked as she followed along.

“Yeah, especially Maura…” Angela answered, her focus on finding what she was looking for.

“I haven’t talked to her, like actually talked to her, in ages.” Constance frowned. “I hope she isn’t doing too much. I know how important the clinic is to her but…” she hesitated. “At what cost.” She reached over to run her fingers through Valley’s honey blonde hair.

Angela was quiet for a minute, her eyes scanning the shelves and then she stopped and turned to Constance. “I’m worried.” Her shoulders dropped and she shook her head. “There just seems to be a distance between them that I’ve never seen before.”

“I know. But things will get better once they hire more staff. In fact, Maura texted me this morning that they are interviewing a psychologist and some physician assistants. I hope it allows her to spend more time at home.” Constance had to stutter stop so she wouldn’t run into Angela.

“Well, I’m going to keep Valley overnight so they can have some alone time. I think they need it. You should stay for dinner if you’d like.”

“That sounds lovely. What’s on the menu?” Constance asked.

“I don’t know.” Angela’s eyes lit up when she found the casserole dishes she was looking for. She grabbed three of them and set them in the cart. “Why don’t we have a look around and see if we can find some inspiration.”

“They have food here too?” Constance asked, an arched eyebrow in question as she looked around only seeing appliances and kitchen utensils but then again, they were only on the second aisle of this monstrous place called Costco.

“You have no idea. And we still haven’t gotten to the samples.” Angela said as she continued to push the cart. “The samples are the best part, aren’t they Valley.” 

“Yummy…” Valley sighed and rubbed her belly. 

“I can’t believe I’ve never been in one of these places before…” Constance said as she continued to look around in wonder. 

Angela glanced over at Constance and couldn’t help but laugh. The stuffy, uptight woman she had come to know had changed over the years, but she didn’t think she had changed enough to frequent their neighborhood Costco. “Well, now you have me and Valley to show you around and to share our many secrets to shopping here.”

Constance nodded as she followed along, looking up and down the large aisles filled with everything, including a kitchen sink. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of Maura shopping at such a big store, but then again, a lot had changed and Maura’s proclivity for order had taken a back seat to the life she and Jane now lived. It made her happy though as she thought about her daughter and how much she had grown since Jane had come back into the picture. 

As Constance continued to get lost in her thoughts, something caught her eye and she suddenly realized they had come to the produce and bakery section. Piles of oranges and lemons sat high atop tables crowed with grapes and strawberries. Tomatoes, both red and yellow in all different sizes adorned the spaces alongside avocados and strings of garlic and she nodded knowingly at the sight that reminded her of the fresh markets of Europe, only on a much smaller scale as if that was even possible in Costco.

“How ‘bout some cuties… for the cutie.” Angela tickled Valley causing her to squeal in delight as she readily agreed. “What do you think about this?” She turned to Constance and smiled as she waved her hand over the huge tables filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. “And over there is the cooler with salads, mushrooms, and squash among many other things.” Pointing towards a large produce cooler, she indicated what she was talking about.

“This place offers everything, doesn’t it?” Constance continued to look around.

“That it does. And there’s the samples.” Angela pushed the cart towards an older lady handing out small paper cups filled with some sort of pastry. 

Constance followed and took one of the cups, glancing at the contents with caution. “What is it?” She asked, an uncertain look on her face.

“It is a raspberry, cream cheese Danish.” The older lady said as she handed one of the samples to Valley after getting a nod from Angela. “They are on sale for $6.99 and you get two.” She said as she waved her hand over towards a large stack of the raspberry delicacies to her right.

With wide eyes, Constance looked at the large box containing two of the Danishes. “You get that for only $6.99?” She asked with an undercurrent of disbelief in her voice. “It’s huge!”

“That’s why I split everything with Jane and Maura. It's way too much for one person…or even two or three.” Angela smiled around the taste of raspberry and cream cheese in her mouth. “But these are so good. You think we should get some?” She asked Valley who nodded emphatically. 

“Dis Mommy’s favorite.” Valley used the back of her hand to wipe at the crumbs that had gathered in the corners of her mouth, essentially smearing a small streak of raspberry across her cheek.

Liking her thumb, Angela then used it to wipe away the small smear causing Valley to squirm. “Hold still you little stinker. You’ve got raspberry on your face.” She said as she continued to wipe.

“No Nona…you got’s germies. Mommy said people got’s germies on their hands.” Valley tried to reason as she continued to try and move away.

Angela tried not to laugh as she shook her head. “You’re too smart for your own good.” She said, glancing at Constance who was also shaking her head.

“She sounds like a mini-Maura, doesn’t she?” 

“She sure does.” Angela did her best to stifle the laugh that tried to break free. “And she acts just like a mini-Jane.” 

“Heaven help us.” Constance couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “So, what other wonder’s does this place offer?”

“Well, prepare to be amazed…” Angela crowed as she pushed the cart towards the middle of the store. “New pajama’s for Valley.”

“Yeah!” Valley cheered.

“Pajamas?” Constance mused. “I guess this place really does have everything.” She sighed as she followed Angela and hoped that new tires weren’t on the list that Valley was waving around enthusiastically. 

***  
Jane sat behind Maura’s desk, spinning around in the large, black leather chair she had helped pick out several months earlier. Before dizziness could set in, she reached out and grabbed the edge of the desk to stop her momentum, but it was too late as the world around her continued to spin. She sat quietly for a moment, waiting for everything to come to a standstill and then leaned back, propping her feet up on the desk in a reclined position. As she waited for Maura, she studied the office décor and smiled at the simple, understated design of family photos and books…lots of books. It was a stark contrast to who Maura was, anything but simple. There was, however, a small child’s table in the corner providing a place for Valley to play and have fun while visiting. 

A picture sitting on Maura’s desk caught Jane’s attention and she smiled at the memory it evoked of their honeymoon. A wistful feeling came over her, tinged with sadness at the easy, relaxed smiles on their sun-kissed faces. It hadn’t been that long ago, but today it felt like a million years. Over the past several months, things had been anything but easy and it was mostly due to Maura’s new job. Pushing her hair over her shoulder, she let out a heavy sigh even though she knew times like these wouldn’t last forever…even if it felt like they might. She realized her melancholy mood was brought on by the fact that she missed Maura. 

As she continued to drift away on thoughts of Maura and their time together in the Virgin Islands, the memory of making love under the stars and skinny dipping in the tropical waters outside their private villa made her skin tingle and she could feel her cheeks flush. It wasn’t until she heard far off voices getting closer that she came back to the here and now with the slightest bit of regret at having allowed her bad mood to catch up with her.

“Look, I need a break…” Maura sounded irritated and tired. “Tell Amy or Steve to handle the next few interviews.”

“Do you want me to order some lunch and we can eat while we go over next week's schedules?” Kelly asked with a hopeful tone to her voice that made Jane frown.

Before Maura could answer, she appeared in the doorway with a surprised look on her face at the sight of Jane sitting behind her desk, apparently waiting for her arrival.

“What are you doing here?” Maura’s tone was slightly harsh as the fear that something was wrong washed over her.

The irritation in Maura’s voice caused Jane’s shoulders to drop with instant regret at having shown up unannounced. “Um…” she began to say as she pushed herself up from Maura’s chair, nervously clearing her throat.

“I’m so sorry…” Kelly interrupted before Jane could say anything else. “I don’t know who let you into this office, but you don’t have permission to be in here.” She turned her attention to Jane, a scowl on her face.

“My wife doesn’t need permission to enter my office.” Maura’s brows knit into a frown. She still wasn’t sure why Jane was there unannounced but then her eyes fell on the picnic basket and relief washed over her followed by a wave of love for the thoughtful act.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry.” Kelly tried not to sound contrite as she raced across the room to shake Jane’s hand. “I’m Kelly, Maura’s assistant.”

“I know who you are…” Jane didn’t take the dainty hand offered, instead, shoving her hands in the pockets of her sweat pants. “We’ve met, several times before.” She couldn’t help but scrutinize the young blonde who had curves for days…not that she noticed things like that when she had Maura to look at. Her eyes fell on Maura’s surprised expression and she gave her a quick wink.

“Yes, of course…” Kelly said in a slightly dismissive way as she stopped her advance on Jane and then turned to Maura with an expectant look. She frowned at the slight flush that colored Maura’s cheeks brought on by the roguish grin now on Jane’s face. 

“You can take a lunch break...” Maura said to Kelly even though her eyes continued to hungrily gaze upon Jane. 

“But we still have so much to do. I thought we could work through lunch.” Kelly tried to reason and hide her disappointment. 

Maura blinked a few times to break the spell she was under and then turned her attention to her assistant. “That won’t be necessary, it’ll wait.” She said as she stepped to the door of her office, holding it open for Kelly.

“But…” Kelly started only to be interrupted by Maura holding a hand up to stop her.

“It’ll wait...” Maura said with an impatient sigh. Kelly gave her a quick nod before throwing a dirty look over her shoulder at Jane, whose eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. “And I don’t want to be disturbed for at least the next thirty to forty-five minutes. Is that understood?”

Kelly stood in the doorway and again nodded her understanding. Tossing her long blonde hair over a shoulder, she tried to hide her huff of impatience but instead sounded like a petulant child being sent away to her room. “Okay, I’ll try to get some of the scheduling done so we won’t have to stay too late tonight.” She glanced over at Jane with a smug smile on her face.

“Oh, we won’t be working late tonight…” Maura said in a way that brokered no argument. 

“Um… okay…” Kelly seemed surprised by Maura’s statement before turning to leave, disappointment radiating off her as she closed the door.

When they were finally alone, Jane let out a sigh of relief. There was something off about the young blonde, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. The strange, almost possessive behavior towards Maura had her wondering if maybe Kelly wasn’t as straight as she claimed to be. Before her thoughts could take hold of her and set roots of worry, Maura ran her fingers through her hair and offered an appreciative smile. Jane realized that Maura had seen the picnic basket and knew that her gesture had not gone unnoticed. “Wow, you’re a tough boss.” She said with an amused grin. “It’s kinda a turn on though.” Wiggling her eyebrows, she laughed and sat back down in Maura’s chair.

“Yeah?” Maura cocked her head to the side and regarded Jane with a curious expression. “I don’t remember giving you permission to sit in my chair.” Her tone was playful.

Jane crossed her arms and leaned back with a smirk. “I thought I didn’t need permission.” She challenged. 

“Well, I am the boss around here and it is my chair.” Maura tried to reason as she moved closer to Jane. “Perhaps we can work out some kind of arrangement.”

“An arrangement, huh?” Jane asked with a raised eyebrow. “Do you have anything to bargain with? I could be bribed for the right price.”

“I might have something…” Maura said rather cryptically. When she finally reached Jane, she looked down at the smug grin.

Giving Maura a slow up and down look, Jane licked her lips before biting down on the bottom one. “I suppose I could be persuaded…” she paused and then winked. 

“You know what that does to me...” Maura said as she leaned forward and rested a hand on the arms of the chair, bringing her face level with Janes. 

“Yeah, I do.” Jane cleared her throat rather nervously. She realized she was in over her head by the hungry look in Maura’s eyes but the flutter in the pit of her stomach gave her a sense of excitement and anticipation she hadn’t felt in… too long. “Are you ready to make an offer I can’t refuse?” She dared to ask.

“I suppose I could…” Maura started to stay but stopped when movement outside her office window caught her attention. Letting out a long, slow sigh of frustration, she looked back at Jane with an apologetic expression on her face. 

Jane knew the minute Maura’s attention was drawn to the window that their ‘almost’ intimate moment was over. ‘Damn blinds on backorder.’ She thought to herself. “Um, the blinds haven’t come in yet?” She asked even though she already knew the answer.

Maura just shook her head and gave Jane a sad smile. “I suppose it wouldn’t help if I told you that having you take me right here on my desk has always been one of my fantasies?”

Swallowing the lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat, Jane tried to laugh but it came out as a cough instead. “You trying to kill me?” She asked in a playful tone.

A moment of silence charged with sexual tension passed between them before Maura leaned forward to place a soft, yet lingering kiss to Jane’s lips. “I’ve missed you… and us.” She said, echoing Jane’s words from earlier that morning.

“Well…” Jane drew the word out before continuing. “My Ma is gonna take Valley for the night… so… um… maybe we can continue this later?” She asked hopefully.

Maura was quiet as she regarded the hopeful spark in Jane’s eyes. She realized that she had put work before her family, something she had never done before and guilt washed over her. “I suppose I could be persuaded.” She tried to joke.

“I can be quite persuasive.” 

“Yes, you can. I look forward to making you work for it, though.” Maura said, suddenly feeling the urge to reconnect with her wife again and again…and again. “I’m sorry I’ve spent so much time away from home… and not just physically but emotionally, as well. You don’t deserve that. I’ve never let work keep me from you before and I’m not going to do it anymore.”

The sudden seriousness of the conversation caused Jane to sit up straighter. “We both knew this was a big endeavor and that it would take you away from us for a while, but it won’t last forever.” She tried to sound understanding.

“No, it won’t last forever because I’m in the process of hiring an administrator so I can just concentrate on being a doctor and not having to run the business too.”

“Really?” Jane asked, surprised by Maura’s news.

“Yes, and I’ve narrowed it down to two people. I just need another month and then I’m going to hand the business end off so I can be at home with you and Valley more.”

“That’s wonderful news.” Jane grabbed Maura and pulled her down to her lap and into a hug. “Does that mean you’ll have time to get pregnant instead of me? She was joking, but only a little.

“Sorry, but we both know that my getting pregnant wouldn’t be a good idea just yet, so I’m afraid you’ve drawn the short straw on that one.” Maura snuggled close to Jane and rested her head on a strong shoulder. The whiff of Jane’s lavender shampoo caused her to close her eyes and hum in delight. “But I promise that I’ll be home on time tonight and we can, I don’t know, perhaps revisit that fantasy of mine in my home office.”

“As long as you wear your glasses and that killer pinstripe suit you’ve got, cause if we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it right.” Jane gave Maura a gentle squeeze.

“Okay, enough of that… what’s in the picnic basket?” Maura pinched Jane’s side playfully.

“Well…” Jane said as she relinquished her hold on Maura so she could open the basket to reveal all the goodies Carly had packed for them. When Maura oohed in all the right places, she gave a silent thanks to her brother and Frost for thier suggestion that she bring lunch. It had been a good idea, one that had led to them talking about making changes for the better. Not to mention Maura revealing one of the many fantasies that Jane was always ready to fulfill.

***  
“Butterbean, butterbean…” Valley danced around Angela’s living room in her new Toy Story pajama’s much to the amusement of her grandmothers. The B 52’s song that played in the background on the Bluetooth speaker she had shown her Nona how to use was cranked up to almost full volume. “I like Butterbeans!” She sang as she wiggled about causing Joe Friday to follow her lead.

“They call this music?” Constance rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop herself from laughing at Valley’s antics. 

“I suppose so.” Angela giggled at the fact that Valley knew all the words. “She’s pretty good at that.” She couldn’t help but be proud of how coordinated the toddler was. Even when she spun around, she managed to land gracefully on the floor next to Joe.

They continued to watch as Valley entertained them with not one but three different renditions of the same song before declaring herself tired and ready to move on to the next activity. “All done!” She heaved a heavy breath as she dropped down on the couch next to Constance for a quick hug and snuggle. “Gigi… no tickling.” She started to giggle when Constance gave her side a gentle poke. “Or I get to tickle you back.” Popping up to look at her grandmother with a hopeful look, she waited to see if she would get to return the favor, but Constance held her hands up and laughed. 

“I give up.” Constance glanced at Angela for help but got a smug smirk in response to her silent plea. She watched wide-eyed as Valley scrunched her fingers in to little claws, bared her little baby teeth, and then growled.

“I’m gonna get you Gigi...” Valley warned as she continued to mimic a baby bear about to pounce. 

“You wouldn’t?” The question was barely out of Constance’s mouth when Valley launched herself on to her lap and began to tickle back. Although it was light and gentle, Constance let out a squeak of surprise. 

“How about a Nona and Gigi tickle sandwich.” Angela jumped up from the chair she was sitting in, not wanting to be left out of the fun. She quickly made her way to the couch and wrapped her arms around Constance, trapping Valley between them in a hug.

“No, not fair Nona.” Valley squealed in delight as she allowed her two grandmothers to hug and tickle her. 

When everyone had had their due, Angela and Constance let go and laid back, freeing Valley to do the same. 

“I’m exhausted.” Constance blew out a heavy breath and wiped at her brow. “Is it wine-thirty yet?” She asked Angela with a hopeful tone.

Before Angela could answer, the buzzer in the kitchen went off letting her know her ravioli lasagna was finished. “The ravioli lasagna is finished.” She pushed herself up from the couch and looked down at Valley and Constance who looked worn out. “And yes, it’s wine-thirty. I’ve got a nice bottle of red that Maura gave me that’ll go well with dinner.”

Constance let out a groan as she pushed herself up from the couch as well, but then hummed in delight at the thought of a glass of wine as a reward for her hard day's work of shopping. Not that it had been hard, but still, it had been a long day. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I hungry Nona…” Valley said as she followed Angela and Constance with Joe Friday pulling up the rear.

“I suppose it’s time for you to eat and then get ready for bed.” Angela glanced at the clock. It was after six and she wasn’t surprised that Jane and Maura weren’t home yet. Jane had texted her and said they would be out late, something about putting up some blinds in Maura’s office. She thought it was a strange thing for them to do on a night they could be spending having a romantic dinner, but then again, Jane and Maura never did things conventionally. “I think we’ll get the Butterbean taken care of, then we can sit down later to a nice quiet dinner and maybe watch some Grace and Frankie.” She said as she turned to Constance. 

“I like the sound of that.” Constance looked around the kitchen for the bottle of wine Maura had mentioned. “How about I open the wine and let it breathe a moment.”

“Okay, it’s over there.” Angela pointed to a bottle on the counter by the window. “I’m going to turn the oven down and fix Valley some dinner.”

“Can I watch Toy Story, Nona?” Valley asked. “Peeze…” 

“I don’t think I have it, honey.” Angela tried to recall what DVD’s she had in the tv cabinet. 

“I have it…” Valley said as she ran towards the door to head across the yard to the main house.

“Hold up there, missy...” Angela called after the little flash that flew past her. 

“I get it, Nona.” Valley stopped in the door and waited, hands on her hips, head cocked to the side looking impatient… looking just like a mini-Maura.

Angela couldn’t help but smile as she followed Valley. “We’ll be right back.” She called to Constance who was concentrating on the bottle of wine and not paying them much attention.

As they made their way across the yard, Joe Friday took this time to run around before settling down with Valley for bedtime. The house was dark and quiet as they approached the back door and for a moment, Angela wasn’t sure if they should go in. Maybe they had decided to come home early and were indisposed but a quick glance over the fence revealed that there was no car in the driveway.

“Mommy and Mama not home yet?” Valley whispered as she reached for the doorknob to open the back door.

“No, I don’t think so… and wait, I’ve got to get the key first.” Angela said as she reached into her pocket, pulling out her small key ring.

Valley waited patiently, but when the door was finally opened, she flew into the house straight for the tv cabinet. As she went through the box, she began tossing cases over her shoulder searching for the one she wanted.

“Hey, you’re making a mess here.” Angela sighed heavily at the endless energy that continued to pour from Valley. She started to pick up the stray DVD’s and moved across the room to set them on the end table next to the recliner. As she set them down, something caught her eye and she froze. Sitting on the edge of the table was a folder with the name of a fertility clinic written across the top and her heart began to race. ‘Jane and Maura are going to have a baby…’ she thought to herself. She tried to will herself not to jump to conclusions but what else could it mean? 

When Valley found what she was looking for, her excited cheer startled Angela from her thoughts and she grabbed the DVDs off the end table to put them back in the tv cabinet. She didn’t want Jane and Maura to know she had seen the folder because it was obvious, they weren’t ready to tell anyone yet. Of course, if that was the case, they shouldn’t have left it out where anyone could see it. And she had seen it and opened it to take a quick glance. With the DVD’s in her hand, she made her way across the room to put them away, almost unaware of the fact that Valley had headed back to her cottage without her. “Hey, wait for me!” She shouted after the toddler who seemed to move quicker than lightning. 

The sound of Valley talking to Constance caused her pause. Now that she knew Valley wasn’t alone, it wouldn’t hurt for her to stop and take one last look at the file. She had to because she was sure she had read it wrong. Flipping open the file one last time, she let out a gasp when she realized she wasn’t seeing things. The application for artificial insemination was in Jane’s name and that could only mean one thing… that Jane was going to get pregnant. A huge smile spread across her face as she shut the file and headed towards the door. With a giddy excitement in her step, she jogged across the yard towards Valley and Constance who watched her with a curious expression.

“What’s up? Constance asked.

“You’re not going to believe what I have to tell you, but I need a glass of wine first.” Angela couldn’t wipe the grin from her face as she bent down to pick Valley up and hug her close. Anticipation filled her with a new excitement for something she never thought would happen. She wasn’t going to have just one grandchild, but two and she couldn’t wait to tell Constance. Things were looking up and the fear and uncertainty she had felt earlier for Jane and Maura dissolved as Valley snuggled against her and Constance followed her in the house waiting for the big news that would change their lives, yet again.


	4. Chapter 4

Hope you enjoy this new chapter. Also, I thought I would share the synopsis of my original “Chrome Painted Heart” with you all, so here it is…  
*_Spencer had always dreamed of being a mechanic like her father. The day he made her a partner of the family business was one of the proudest moments of her life. Life, as far as she was concerned, was good. Unfortunately, it had other plans in store for her. The sudden death of her father leaves Spencer alone and uncertain, crippled with the heartache of knowing that she was not there when he needed her the most._  
_Courtney is doing her best to live a quiet and isolated life away from the world, her existence only known to others by the artwork she puts on display. She pours her guilt and grief into her art firmly establishing herself as a mysterious recluse. It is a reputation she proudly displays just as openly as she does her paintings._  
_Everything changes the moment Spencer Clark discovers a painting in the local gallery that deeply resonates within her. The more she views it, the more she wonders – is it the abstraction of the painting or the mystery of the artist that makes her heart flutter? The answer leads her down a path she never could have imagined bringing an unassuming artist into the fray._  
_Can Spencer and Courtney help each other find the courage to let go of their grief-stricken past and move forward together? Or will the heavy burden of grief make it impossible to find love again?_*  
I hope to have it live before the end of the month and look forward to sharing this first original with all of you. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I always enjoying hearing from you guys and can’t wait to move on the next phase of my writing. (I will still post here, too.) Take care everyone… 😊

Chapter 4

It was a cool morning with a light mist covering the backyard as Jane stood looking out the window at the fall foliage that spread out over the grass. She watched as the last remaining leaves twisted and turned in the light breeze that blew past, tearing them away from the red maple that had once provided shade in the heat of the summer months. Bringing her coffee up to her lips, she sighed at the warmth that produced a faint cloud of steam before taking a drink. A feeling of sadness washed over her as she watched those last few leaves fall to the ground leaving the tree bare, but then a smile creased her lips at the thought of raking them into large piles and jumping in them with Valley, something she had done as a child.

The smell of bacon cooking and the sound of Valley playing in the living room gave her even more reason to smile as she continued to stare out the window and contemplate the day ahead. It was time for the annual Rizzoli football game and even though some of the players had changed over the years, she still looked forward to seeing her cousins, their significant others, and now their kids. Even though time brought many changes as it marched on, one thing was certain, her family would always be there. At least those who counted. That thought caused her to think of her father and her contemplative mood turned dark. His sporadic phone calls and letters had slowed to almost non-existent, but then again, she had never responded, hoping he would just leave them be. It was a sore spot between her and Tommy, who spoke to him regularly and had begged her to reach out. But she continued to stand her ground. She wanted nothing to do with the person who had come between her and Maura, not to mention the fact that he had abandoned their mother, leaving her with no home and no savings. Frankie understood and it was a subject they rarely brought up unnecessarily.

Before Jane’s darkening thoughts could take hold, the feeling of strong arms wrapping around her waist and the touch of soft, warm lips against the side of her neck brought her back. She closed her eyes and sighed against the warmth and security that Maura provided. “Ummm… you caught me.”

“I could smell the smoke from the kitchen. What has you so contemplative?” Maura asked as she rested her chin on Jane’s shoulder. “Although I think I can guess…”

“I suppose you’d be right.” Jane sighed heavily.

“Maybe you should talk to him. Clear the air.” Maura offered.

Jane stiffened and shook her head. “No, he doesn’t deserve the opportunity to walk back into our lives as if nothing happened.” She relaxed slightly when Maura gave her a gentle squeeze.

“I’m not asking you to invite him back into our lives. But for your sake, maybe you should find some closure.”

“I don’t need closure, Maura. What I need is for him to leave us alone…” she glanced towards the small cottage her mother now occupied. “All of us…”

Maura let out a heavy sigh. “I understand, really I do but…” she paused giving Jane the chance to give her skeptical look. “I know what he did was unforgivable, but if it hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have any of this…” letting go of Jane, she opened her arms to indicate what she was talking about. “Who knows where we would have ended up.”

Giving a slight nod, Jane couldn’t help but frown at Maura’s wisdom. “You’re too smart for your own good, ya know that?”

“Some people call me a genius,” Maura smirked.

“Yeah, well… I’ll think about it but no promises.” Jane said with a smirk of her own.

“That’s all I ask.” Maura accepted Jane’s offer, knowing that she would make the right choice when the time came. “Hey, look at the backyard. It’s a mess with all those leaves.” She shook her head at the sight before them. “I guess I should call Mac to come and bag them up so we can see the grass again.”

“What?” Jane asked, her eyes wide with horror. “You can’t do that?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Maura couldn’t understand what had caused Jane to look so horrified.

“The leaves. You can’t have them bagged up… not yet. We have to rake them into piles and then jump in them.”

“Why in the world would I want to do that?” Now Maura looked horrified.

Bringing a hand to her forehead, Jane continued to stare at Maura wide-eyed. “Are you telling me you’ve never jumped into a pile of leaves before?” She shook her head, unsure if Maura was joking with her.

“I can say with absolute certainty that I have never…” she glanced at the leaves outside the window with a slight frown and shook her head. “Never jumped into a pile of dead, decaying, rotten leaves.”

“Oh my God!” Jane said as she placed a hand on Maura’s shoulder and gave her gentle shake. “We are so going to do that when we get back today.”

“Forgive me for not seeing the value of throwing myself into a pile of… those…” Maura pointed outside, the slight look of disgust written all over her face. “There will be all sorts of things growing in the moist environment they produce as they lay on the grass and on top of each other… yuck.”

Jane grinned wickedly as she tried to stifle a laugh. “We are so gonna do it when we get home later.”

“I will not…” Maura started to say before being interrupted by Valley wrapping her arms around one of her legs. “Hey, Butterbean.” She smiled down at the little girl sporting a toy football helmet.

“I wants to play feetball with Mama,” Valley begged.

Dropping down to one knee, Jane pulled the helmet off and smiled at her daughter. “You want to play football with me?” She asked.

“Yeah, I wants to play football.” Valley nodded firmly.

Jane looked up at Maura with a mischievous smile before handing off her coffee cup. “Well…” she said as she scooped Valley up, throwing her over a shoulder. “I think maybe we need a football about your size.” Pushing herself up, she jogged towards the living room before depositing Valley down on the couch and tickling her.

“No Mama… no tickling…” Valley giggled. “I play footsball too…”

Leaning over the back of the couch, Jane kissed Valley on the top of the head before ruffling honey blonde hair. “We’ll see how it goes, little one. You’re gonna have lots of cousins to play with.”

Maura watched with a smile on her face. This was the first time Valley would join them at the family reunion, and she looked forward to introducing the Rizzoli clan to their daughter. As she stood by the window looking out at the leaves Jane had threatened to throw her in, she shivered in anticipation. Although she had never done such a thing, she couldn’t help but wonder what all the fuss was about. But she knew if she allowed herself to be open and willing to try new things, especially with Jane in the lead, she almost always had more fun than she had imagined possible.

“Hey, you notice my Ma acting weirder than normal lately?” Jane called out from the couch.

“What?” Maura turned her attention back to Jane. “Not any more than usual.” She looked back out the window at the cottage Angela now called home and squinted her eyes as if doing so might make her see better. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know, she seems more hovery...” Jane let out a heavy breath when Valley jumped on her. “Hold on squirt…”

“You know very well that hovery is not a word. You need to be careful how you speak with that little sponge listening to everything you say.” Maura pointed to Valley before letting out an impatient huff.  
Hovery, hovery…” Valley laughed as she continued to bounce on Jane’s midsection, knocking the wind from her.

“Okay, okay…” Jane conceded. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that she seems more protective than usual.”

Maura creased her brow in thought. Perhaps Jane was right about Angela. She did seem to be hovering around more like a mama bear protecting her cubs. Bringing them food and doing the household chores that were usually reserved for Jane. “I don’t know, maybe.” Her thoughts turned to the breakfast that needed to be finished when the buzzer went off in the kitchen. “I’m going to finish getting breakfast ready. I expect you both to be washed up and ready to eat in five.” She smoothed down the invisible creases in her jeans and gave Jane and Valley a stern look, brokering no arguments.

“We’ll be there or be square.” Jane laughed at Maura’s mock indignation.

“Square, square…!” Valley crowed as she dropped down into Jane’s open arms, allowing herself to be hugged. “You give up, Mama?” She asked breathlessly as Jane held her tight.

“Yep.” Jane sighed as she held Valley close. She could see Maura watching them with love in her eyes even though she was trying to act annoyed. “You win this round.” Pushing herself up from the couch, she sent a saucy wink Maura’s direction.

“Don’t do that if you can’t back it up.” The smirk on Maura’s face had Jane sitting up straighter and swallowing hard. “You know what it does to me.” She said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned towards the kitchen, leaving Jane to watch open-mouthed.

Valley looked at Maura and then Jane, confusion written all over her face. She knew that something had just happened, but she couldn’t understand what had caused her Mama to suddenly go quiet. Not to mention that funny smile on her Mommy’s face. Not one to be left out, she started to bounce around again singing “Square, Square…” and she was happy to find both her favorite people laughing and smiling together.

***  
Maura was quiet as they made their way across the park, hand in hand, towards the Rizzoli clan who were waiting for their arrival. Things had been going well at the clinic, so well in fact, that she was able to take some days off to spend with family, like today. But she was on call and the uncertainty of whether or not she would receive a phone call weighed heavily on her mind.

“Hey, you alright?” Jane asked as she bent down to scoop Valley up so they could walk faster.

Nodding slowly and blinking her eyes a few times in the bright sun that had finally made its appearance from the misty, foggy morning sky, Maura swallowed hard before clearing her throat. “Yeah, I’m just hoping that I don’t get called in this afternoon.” She tried to wave off Jane’s concern.

“Things have been going great since you hired someone to take over the business end of things. And you’ve been home more often. I wouldn’t worry too much.” Jane offered as she lifted a squealing toddler to her shoulders.

“Look, Mommy… I high…” Valley gave Jane’s head a pat.

“That you are, my dear.” Maura glanced up quickly, trying to hide her wince at the same time.

“She’s okay. I won’t drop her, ya know.” Jane had noticed Maura’s trepidation. “I promise.”

With a smile, Maura nodded her understanding and tried not to be overprotective like Angela. ‘I really need to talk to Angela…’ she thought to herself as they approached their destination and she saw Angela waiting for them with a big smile on her face.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jane gave Maura a sideways glance. She could sense Maura’s apprehension.

“I’m good…” Maura did her best to look relaxed as she reached up to take Valley from Jane’s shoulders so she could run the rest of the way to where Carly and Ryan were laid out on a large blanket. “Really…” she said when Jane continued to look at her skeptically. Even though she was having a hard time relinquishing control of the clinic over to someone other than herself, she had come a long way in a short time. It was only natural for her to worry from time to time.

“Okay, but you’d tell me if something was wrong… wouldn’t you?” Jane shrugged her shoulders and let out a sigh.

Lifting on her toes, Maura placed a quick kiss to Jane’s cheek. “I would, I promise. And if you think you’re going to throw me into a pile of rotten leaves, you’ve got another thing coming.” She teased as she gave Jane a gentle push.

“Well, if it isn’t my girls.” Angela threw her arms wide to hug Jane, then Maura. She gave a pout in Valley’s direction as the toddler ran past her towards Carly and Ryan. “I guess I don’t even get a hug.”

“Come on Ma, she sees you all the time.” Jane tried to wave away her mother’s complaint.

“I know.” Angela rolled her eyes dramatically before turning her attention to Maura with a serious expression. “Do you really think it’s okay for Jane to play football… you know… in her condition?” She whispered those last words drawing a confused look from both Maura and Jane.

“What are you going on about, Ma?” Jane huffed just before being interrupted by her cousin Tony grabbing her from behind in a bear hug.

“Janie!” Tony shouted before letting go so she could turn around and hug him properly. “You look good, cuz. The academy treating you well?” He asked.

“Yeah, I’m loving it there. No more all-nighters or working days and days without a break. And it gives me more time at home with the little one there.” Jane puffed her chest out proudly and pointed to Valley who was laying on the grass with baby Rory pointing at the dots of clouds in the sky above.

“She’s a cutie,” Tony said before hitching his thumb at Maura who was still quietly trying to figure out what Angela had been talking about. “Almost as cute as this one.”

The comment drew Maura’s attention and a slight giggle in return. “Flattery will get you everywhere.” She said as she hugged him in greeting.

“Hey, are you trying to make time with my girl?” Jane tried to scowl as she punched him in the bicep. “Just because you’re single again doesn’t mean all women are fair game.”

“As if I’d ever have a chance with this Angel on earth here.” He grinned as he wrapped an arm around both Jane and Maura’s shoulders, turning to lead them towards a crowd of family congregating on the large grass field. “Come on, it’s time to pick teams. And no…you can’t have Carly this year.” He scowled at Jane and shook a finger at her.

“No worries, I’ve got Maura on my team.” Jane smiled over at her wife and got a slightly demure one in return.

“We’ll see about that.” Tony winked mysteriously as he let them go and approached Frankie who looked slightly impatient.

“About damn time.” Frankie huffed, his hands were on hips to emphasize his impatience. “Come on Carly…” he waved her over.

Jane glanced over at Ryan who gave her a reassuring smile that Valley was okay with her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her mother making the rounds and talking to everyone, a look of deep concentration on her face and Jane couldn’t help but wonder what she was up to.

“Hey…” Frankie snapped his fingers at Jane to get her attention. “Team Captains are Mia…” he waved a hand at his cousin Mia and…” he paused for dramatic effect. “Me…” he finished with a smirk garnering moan’s and groans from everyone, especially Jane.

“Okay, heads or tails?” Tony stepped between Mia and Frankie and pointed to Mia as he tossed the coin into the air.

“Tails…” Mia said.

“Tails it is.” Tony fist-pumped his little sister before giving her a knowing look. “You get to pick first.”

Mia looked around the group, sizing everyone up even though she knew exactly who she was going to pick. “I’ll take Jane.” A wicked grin slid across her face when her eyes fell upon Jane and the look of surprise on Jane’s face was priceless.

“Wait, you can’t do that.” Jane tried to protest. “It’s always been us against you guys.” Jane pointed at her cousins in emphasis.

“Not anymore. We’ve got so many people now that we need to mix things up a bit.” Tony had a proud look on his face. “Since our Pop’s aren’t playing anymore, and everyone has kids and significant others to add to the mix… well… we need to shake it up a bit.”

“Alright, alright…” Jane grumbled as she moved to stand next to Mia, who was now exhibiting a Cheshire cat grin.

Frankie looked dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. Without his sister by his side, he didn’t have a plan until his eyes fell on Maura. “I pick, Maura.” He glanced over at Jane with an apologetic smile but the look on her face had him taking a step back.

“No way.” Jane was now steaming as she watched Maura give a slight shrug of the shoulders as she took her place next to Frankie. The look in her eyes told him that she would deal with him later. “Alright, alright…” she said again when everyone looked at her.

And so, it went until the last person standing was Bella who gave both her sister Mia and her cousin Frankie a glare that could kill. “I cannot believe you left me for last!” She gave Mia a not so gentle shove when she was finally picked by default.

“Sorry, sissy…” Mia looked duly chastised.

“Yeah, well…” Bella huffed as she pulled her long dark hair up into a ponytail. “I’m not that bad.”

“You kinda are.” Tony teased. “You’d think after all these years of playing you’d be better. But I guess you don’t want to break a nail or anything.”

“You’d better be careful not to piss me off big brother ‘cause I might drop the ball or something.” Bella scowled at her brother and wiggled her fingers at him. “And you wouldn’t want one of them to pick it up, would you?” She said pointing at Frankie’s team.

Shaking his head, Tony couldn’t help but laugh. “Speaking of careful…” he turned his attention to Jane. “You still gonna play quarterback… in your… um… condition?” He asked waving his hands over Jane.

“Of course, wait… what?” Jane frowned in confusion.

“Well, Aunt Angela said…” he started to say before they were interrupted by Frankie shouting for everyone to get into position.

“What the hell is this condition I’m supposed to be in? Why does everyone keep asking me if I should be playing?” Jane shook her head and stomped her foot. The glance’s and whispers directed her way hadn’t gone unnoticed and it frustrated her because the game was about to get underway and she’d have no time to confront her mother. When the football sailed her direction, she turned her attention to the task at hand, winning.

***  
Winning was easier said than done as the score remained tied in the fourth quarter. Jane wasn’t as agile as she used to be, but she had somehow managed to stay on her feet most of the game. It was something that perplexed her though. There had been ample opportunity to be taken down but instead, mostly everyone she encountered held back instead of tackling her. It wasn’t like they tackled hard either. Just a push or shove would suffice but not once had anyone come in contact with her. Unless you counted Maura, who took every chance she could get to wrap her arms around Jane and hug her tight, trying to steal a quick kiss before letting go.

“Hey, times a ticking away.” Frankie called to Jane as they set up for third down.

“I hear ya, little bro,” Jane smirked as she got ready.

Frankie turned to Maura and spoke in a low voice. “She’s setting up for a long pass, you need to take her down or we’re gonna lose.”

Maura gave a nod of understanding as she patiently waited for the moment to arrive, that split second in time when nothing else mattered but her and Jane. Even though Frankie wanted to win, she didn’t care as much. Each and every time she wrapped her arms around Jane, it was like coming home to someplace warm and safe and she craved it more than air itself. Her motives might have differed from Frankie’s, but it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things as she eyed her target snap the ball.

As Jane stepped back to throw the ball, she didn’t see Maura push past Mia and head straight for her. She could see by the look in Maura’s eyes that she wasn’t going to hold up, so she braced herself for the hit she knew was coming. And when it did, it wasn’t unpleasant but the force of it was unexpected as they both fell to the ground, Maura sprawled out on top of her with a wide, somewhat apologetic grin. The ball she had been holding slipped from her grip and now spun and wobbled away as it was chased across the field, never slowing down enough for someone to grab a hold of.

An involuntary spasm in Jane’s mid-section caused her cough as the wind whooshed from her in a loud “Oof…”

Maura’s grin turned into a frown as she pushed herself up to look down at Jane who continued to pant in an effort to catch her breath. “Oh my God… I’m sooo sorry.” She quickly sat up and helped Jane do the same.

“You’re… such… a brute…” Jane continued to cough and gasp between each word. She was also laughing which was making it harder for her breath.

When Maura realized that Jane was laughing, she gave her a gentle push so Jane was laying back down in the grass. The teasing was something to be expected so she covered Jane’s body with her own and began to tickle her. What happened next took them both by surprise. It wasn’t the tiny body that had joined the tickle party but the larger one that pushed Maura away with an unexpected force so strong she found herself on her back looking up at the white fluffy clouds moving across the bright blue sky above.

“Janie… Janie… are you okay?” Angela was on her knees next to Jane running her hands over her stomach and glaring at Maura with fire in her eyes. “How could you hit her so hard and knock her over like that, especially in her condition.”

By now, Jane had finally caught her breath and her laughing turned to stunned silence as she looked at Maura’s surprised expression to her mother’s blistering glare. “What the hell, Ma?” She shouted as she tried to push Angela away from her. She looked at Maura and then Valley for understanding but the beginnings of huge crocodile tears were starting to form in Valley’s dark brown eyes as she watched her Nona with uncertainty.

“Why would you knock her down like that, Maura? You could hurt the baby!” Angela tried to touch Jane again only to have her hand slapped away causing her eyes to well up with tears as well.

Jane was stunned into momentary silence as realization sank in. She glanced up to see the faces of her family looking at her with concern and fear. The severity of the moment was surreal and all she could do was laugh.

“Baby?” Maura questioned, her eyes wide in wonder. “What baby?”

By now, Valley had climbed into Maura’s arms and was hugging her tightly around the neck. She watched as her Nona shook a finger at her Mommy and it scared her even more than before.

“I found the fertility papers. I know that Jane’s pregnant.” Angela’s anger began to fizzle as she watched Valley squirm closer to Maura. “I’m sorry…” she let out a heavy breath. “I didn’t mean to yell, but how could you hit her so hard, in her condition?”

“See, I told you.” Jane looked over at Maura before reaching for Valley so she could comfort her as well. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight because I ain’t… I’m not pregnant.” She announced to the growing crowd of family who seemed to instantly lose interest and disperse at her admission. Tommy and Frankie stayed, both looking confused as they glanced between their mother, Jane, and then Maura.

“What would ever lead you to believe that Jane’s pregnant?” Tommy seemed amazed that anyone would think it was a possible thing.

Frankie gave Jane a sheepish smile and shoved his hands in the pockets of his sweat pants. “Sorry, I should’ve known better.”

“I can’t believe you, Ma. What Maura and I do in the privacy of our own home is our business.” Jane frowned as she tucked Valley against her chest.

“I’m guessing it’s not getting Jane pregnant.” Tommy laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Maura watched in wonder as everyone wandered away to give them some privacy. Although it wasn’t really a secret, they hadn’t really made the effort to tell anyone of their plans. In fact, they had an appointment coming up. It was to be their first consultation. Letting out a sad sigh, she turned her attention to Angela. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you, Angela… but to think I’d do anything to hurt Jane or endanger our baby…” she shook her head and looked away.

“Oh, Maura…” Angela vaulted over Jane to wrap her arms around Maura. “I’m so sorry. I just assumed you guys had gone through with it since the papers were out on the table.” She said as she pulled back so she could look Maura in the eyes. “And I’m sorry for thinking you would ever do anything to Jane or my grandbaby.”

“Oh my God, Ma. You really should keep your nose out of our business.” Jane reluctantly handed Valley over to Angela so she could calm and comfort her as well.

“So, it’s true?” Frankie asked.

“Of course, it’s not true.” Tommy gave Frankie a little push. “I’ll eat my shorts the day Janie gets pregnant.”

Jane glanced at Frankie and then Tommy who looked pretty confident in his comment. “You want ketchup with those shorts? She asked, surprising him.

“What? No… I don’t believe it.” He put his hands on his hips and looked down at her.

“Believe it, baby brother.” She pushed up from the ground and dusted herself off. “With any luck, next month at this time…”

“Really?” Angela held Valley closer to her and looked up at Jane with hopeful hazel eyes.

“You dirty dog.” Tommy reached down to help pull Maura to her feet while Frankie took Valley so Angela could stand up. “I never thought I’d see the day my sister would get pregnant. You must have mad skills, Doc…” he laughed.

“I have many skills,” Maura said as she began to brush the grass and dirt from her jeans. “And don’t forget it.”

“Mama okay, now?” Valley asked as Frankie wiped at the wetness that covered her cheeks. “Nona not mad at Mommy?”

“Oh, baby…” Angela reached out to take Valley again. “I’m not mad at your Mommy.” She pushed honey blonde hair away from Valley’s uncertain eyes. “Really, it’s okay.”  
All Jane could do was shake her head. “I’m sorry too, Ma. But you’ve gotta respect our privacy. We were going to tell you after the first appointment when we knew more.”

“Wait a minute…” Maura gave Angela a suspicious look. “Did you tell my mother about this, too?” It hadn’t escaped her attention that her own mother was acting out of character. “You must have, she dropped off a box of vitamins and dietary supplements the other day. Not to mention the dish towels I now suspect are anything but dish towels.”

“What else could they be?” Jane asked  
“I’d say they were cloth diapers.” Angela tried to sound apologetic, as she did her best to stifle her giggle.

“Not funny, Ma. I’ve been using those to dry the dishes.” Jane scowled at the thought of using diapers to dry the dishes they ate off.

“Well, they are just glorified dish towels at the moment.” Maura shook her head. “I guess I need to go call her and break the news.”

“Please be gentle. It isn’t her fault. I’m the one who told her.” Angela pleaded.

Nodding her understanding, Maura took Valley from Angela’s arms so they could go dig her cell phone from the bag they had brought that now sat on Carly and Ryan’s blanket. “No promises, but I will take your confession into account.”

“That’s all I ask.” Angela smiled at Maura as she retreated away from them.

“So, this is really gonna happen?” Frankie took a tentative step towards Jane.

“I think so.” Jane sighed, unable to hide her anxiety.

They were quiet for a minute as Angela and Tommy wandered away, arguing over who the baby would look more like. Frankie’s nervous energy was evident as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Is this what you really want?” He tilted his head in that way he did when he was serious.

“I think so…” her voice was quiet and barely audible.

“It doesn’t sound like it.” He observed.

“No, really… I want this. Maura and I are partners. I love her more than anything and if this is something I have to do, then I’m gonna do it.”

“Why doesn’t Maura get pregnant. Why you?” He asked because it was something he had never imagined before.

“Because she has too much on her plate with the clinic. We agreed that I’d do it this time and she’d do it next. Besides, I lost the coin toss.” She gave him a crooked grin.

“Don’t tell me she used that two-sided coin she passes off as a regular coin.” He laughed. “Cause if that’s the case, you’ve been duped.”

“What?” Jane tried to sound indignant.

“This is really what you want?” His question was serious as he watched her for any indication she was lying.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Jane nodded. “It really is what I want, Frankie. I want everything Maura wants and together we’ll make it happen. How bad can it be?”

Frankie’s eyebrows rose up above his shaggy bangs at her question. “I guess you’ll find out.” He gave her a gentle push. “I’m happy for ya.”

“Thanks.” Jane dropped her gaze from his penetrating one and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ve got some good news, too.”

“Yeah?” Jane’s eyes came back up to meet his.

“I’m going to ask Steph to marry me.” His smile was wide, making the corners of his eyes crinkle in the same way their fathers did when he smiled.

Reaching out to pull him in to a hug, Jane wrapped her arms around her little brother. “That’s great news. Did you tell Ma yet?”

Frankie shook his head emphatically. “No, if I do, I’m afraid she’ll bet me to the punch. I’d really like to be the one to get down on one knee and ask…”

“I hear ya, bro. I hear ya…” Jane let out a chuckle as she released him from their hug. “Maybe this pregnancy thing will keep the heat off you for a while.”

“Hey, I never looked at it that way.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. “Thanks for that.”

“Anytime, Frankie…” She couldn’t stop grimacing at the thought of having her mother hovering over her but if it would help Frankie, then she’d take one for the team. But there would be a time he would have to pay her back and that thought brought a sly smile to her lips.

***  
“A tie?” Jane huffed out as she put the car in park and looked over at Maura with a frown on her face. “Football can’t end in a tie.”

“It’s the only fair thing to do since everyone got distracted after your mother freaked out on us.” Reaching over, Maura placed a hand on Jane’s thigh and gave a gentle squeeze. “And there was no way we were going to lure people away from the food once they got started eating.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Jane allowed Maura’s touch to calm her.

“You can’t stand not winning.”

Jane tilted her head to look at Maura, giving her a sideways glance. “You’ve known me how long and you’re just now figuring that out?”

“Someone’s a grumpy Gus.” Maura leaned over and kissed Jane on the cheek.

“Grumpy Gus, Mama’s a grumpy Gus.” Valley chanted from the back seat.

“I am not a grumpy Gus,” Jane said under breath. Even though she was pretending to be angry, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “Hey Alley Roo, wanna help this grumpy Gus rake up the leaves in the backyard into piles so we can jump in them?” She looked at Valley’s reflection in the rearview mirror.

“Yes, yes… I wanna help!” Valley shouted and clapped her hands together.

“Okay, we’ll let Mommy unload the car while we rake the leaves.” Jane grinned back at the excited toddler.

“Thanks, I get to do the heavy lifting while you play with leaves.” Maura nodded towards the cooler sitting on the backseat and the bags on the floor.

“Guess you’re gonna haveta get used to the heavy lifting around here, aren’t you?”

The question caused Maura to furrow her brow as she thought about the answer. “I guess so.” She agreed and looked at Jane who was wiggling her eyebrows at her.

“I suppose there may be some perks to this being pregnant thing.”

“I suppose, maybe so.” Maura contemplated. “Not to mention the fact that your libido will probably go through the roof, so there may be some perks for me as well. I must admit, I am looking forward to it.” She couldn’t help but wiggle her eyebrows back at

Jane who had a look of shock on her face now.

Jane poked her bottom lip out in a mock pout. “That and the hemorrhoids, morning sickness, and stretch marks that go with being pregnant.”

“You’ll be fine. I am, after all, a doctor you know. And as far as stretch marks are concerned, I think they are sexy as hell. They are the mark of a warrior if you think about it. They are a reminder of the life you created and brought into this world.”

“Have I told you how much I love you today?” Jane leaned over to place a gentle kiss to Maura’s lips.

“Maybe once or twice… but don’t let that stop you…” Maura accepted the kiss with closed eyes and ready lips. The heat that generated between them grew fast and she almost forgot Valley was in the backseat until they were interrupted by Valley’s protests.

“Yucky kissing…” Valley squealed with her hands over her face. But then something popped into her head as such things were prone to do in the mind of a toddler and she grew very serious as she posed the next question. “Mommy, what’s heni-oids and pegant mean?”

Jane pulled away from Maura’s lips, a look of surprise on her face. Maura was laughing and shaking her head but leaned forward to grab one last kiss. “Um, I suppose I should leave this one to you, you are after all the doctor in the family.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. You’re the one taking her to the backyard to rake up leaves. That’ll give you plenty of time to explain heni-oids and pegancy.”

Rolling her eyes dramatically, Jane glanced in the rearview mirror at the serious expression on Valley’s face as she waited for an answer, then back at Maura who had a smug smirk on her face. “You suck.” She said under her breath so only Maura could hear.

“Maybe later…” Maura gave Jane the side-eye. “If you’re good, that is.”

“You are incorrigible, you know that?”

“Mama, what’s in-origible?” Valley asked.

“Saved by your word of the day calendar.” Maura quipped as she undid her seatbelt and threw open the car door. “Now, to get this stuff put away. Have fun with the leaves, Butterbean.” She called to Valley in the backseat.

Glancing at Valley again in the rearview window, Jane let out a long, slow sigh. “Your Mommy is a trouble maker.” She said, hoping to get Valley to agree.

“No, she not, Mama. Mommy is in-origible…” Valley said with a smile at having discovered a new word.

“Well, you just said a mouthful kid.” Jane laughed as she undid her own seatbelt before climbing out of the car so she could get Valley out of her car seat. But even though they had been joking around, the intensity in Maura’s eyes after their kiss caused her to shiver. She couldn’t imagine her sex-drive being anymore stronger than it was now because just one kiss almost turned her into a puddle, but it was going to be fun to find out.

***

Maura stood by the back door, looking out the window at the darkening sky filled with clouds and wondered when they would get their first snowfall. The threat of rain was certainly eminent, but it had been a nice warm day, perfect weather for a football game. And as she discovered while watching Jane and Valley, a perfect day for jumping into leaf piles.

The sound of laughter and excited squeals caused her stomach to flutter in anticipation even though she still wasn’t convinced it was a sanitary thing to do. That flutter of excitement followed her everywhere she went lately, especially with Jane by her side.

Life was never boring and there was never a dull moment, especially since Valley had joined their little family… a family that would soon be growing.

“Mommy, come here!” Maura’s musings were interrupted by Valley calling to her and waving for her to come outside. She could see Jane watching her, hands on her hips, head tilted in that way that dared her to defy the over-excited toddler. But it was Jane’s crooked grin and ruffled appearance that drove the need to be wrapped in those strong arms that spurred her forward and out the back door.

“Mommy, Mommy…” Valley ran to Maura, arms open and waiting to be picked up and hugged.

Smiling, Maura scooped the smaller body up and held the little bundle of energy tight in her arms. With a chuckle, she pulled a few leaves from Valley’s hair and tossed them aside. “Having fun?” She asked, her eyes falling on Jane’s sexy smirk.

“Will you play in the leafs with us, Mommy?”

Eyeing the newly raked pile warily, Maura tried not to sound unsure of herself. “I don’t know…” she continued to stare at the pile, pondering what might be hidden underneath.

“Come on, Mommy… it’s really easy.” Jane held her arms out and fell back into the pile causing the leaves to billow out and away from her as she landed in them with a soft whoosh.

Watching Jane trust fall into the leaves that were piled high caused Maura to gasp. Her eyes widened in fear, afraid that Jane would hurt herself on the hard ground, but when Jane smiled up at her she let out a sigh of relief.

“Don’t be ‘fraid, Mommy.” Valley began to squirm out of Maura’s arms, demanding to be put down. When she was placed on the ground, she took a running start and jumped into Jane’s waiting arms.

Together, Jane and Valley rolled around in the leaves, throwing them up in the air and laughing. Maura watched and couldn’t help but shake her head at their antics. It did look fun, and she didn’t want to be left out, so she took a tentative step towards them.

“Come’ere…” Jane held her arms out inviting Maura to drop down into them. “I’ll catch you, I promise.”

With a raised eyebrow, Maura weighed her options. She could trust that Jane wouldn’t let her fall or she could let Valley think she was scared. Of course, her only choice was to trust because she really did wholeheartedly trust Jane. So, throwing her arms out, she took a leap of faith and landed in the strong arms she knew would catch her every time.

“See, told ya I’d catch you.” Jane pulled Maura close and buried her face against honey-blonde hair.

“I never doubted it for one second.” Maura giggled as Jane’s lips found that ticklish spot on the side of her neck. When Jane pulled back and raised a skeptical eyebrow, Maura rolled her eyes. “Ok, maybe for a half a second.”

“I hope you know, I’ll always be here to catch you.” Jane suddenly turned serious. “No matter what happens, I’ll never let you fall.”

Maura leaned forward until her lips hovered over Jane’s, but she didn’t kiss her just yet. “I know…” she whispered breathlessly as she pressed her lips to the ones waiting for her touch. All she wanted to do was show Jane how much she loved her, how much she needed her, but Valley wanted their attention at that moment and wouldn’t be ignored.

“Mommy, watch…” Valley threw a handful of leaves into the air, trying to catch them as they floated down around her.

With a heavy sigh, Jane leaned her forehead against Maura’s before looking up at the shower of leaves that rained down on them as Valley laughed and jumped around. “Come on, Squirt…” she grabbed the energetic toddler, pulling her down into a hug.

“I’m not a ‘quirt…” Valley tried to wiggle away from Jane’s hold, but Maura joined in, pinning her between them.

“Let’s roll in the leaves.” Maura laughed as she and Jane began to roll around, tickling Valley and throwing leaves up around them.

“No tickle, Mommy…” Valley laughed uncontrollably until they stopped. For a minute, they lay together in the pile of leaves looking up at the sky, quiet and pensive until Valley broke the silence. “I love you, Mommy and Mama.” She placed a kiss to Maura’s cheek before moving to Jane’s.

Glancing over at Maura, Jane could see that she had tears in her eyes at the soft declaration of love and she could feel her own tears forming. She reached over to take Maura’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze while Valley settled against her as they continued to look up at the sky above. At that moment, she realized she had everything she would ever need in her life but the thrill of something new excited her and suddenly she couldn’t wait to add to the family that lay in her arms surrounding her with all the love she could ever want.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone, it’s time for a new chapter and to also announce that my first novel, Chrome Painted Heart (Book 1 of the Hopeful Hearts Series) by B.W. Hope is live on Amazon. I hope that if you’ve enjoyed my writing thus far, you might check out my novel. And don’t worry, I will continue to post on here at least once a month. I do have to say that the entire process of writing and publishing has been exciting and terrifying at the same time. Putting myself out there for all to see is very difficult for an extremely shy introvert, but I’ve done it and I hope beyond hope that you all like it. As always, thanks for reading, reviewing, and the messages of encouragement. I should also add that I have several social media accounts set up if you want to reach out to me or check out what I am working on next. You can find me at: Instagram@b.w.hope, Twitter@BWHope1, and facebook @ B.W. Hope 😊

Bliss Like This   
5

“This is harder than I thought it would be.” Jane ran her hands through her hair and frowned. “Can’t we just flip a coin?”

“We talked about this.” Maura picked up a file and flipped through it. “But, yeah… I’m torn between these two.” She set the file down and picked up the one next to it.

“It’s just sooo hard…” Jane sighed as she racked her fingers over her cheeks then rest her chin in the palm of a hand. “I know we said we wouldn’t ask anyone we know, but…” she huffed in frustration.

“But nothing.” Maura dropped the file she was holding. “We both agreed that asking a friend to do this was… well, asking too much.”

“I know.” Jane huffed again. “We can’t ask someone to be a sperm donor and tell them they can’t have anything to do with the kid.”

“Look, there are a lot of legalities involved. We’ve talked to Ryan about all the things that could go wrong if we had someone we know as a donor and I agree with her. Anonymous is better, for everyone involved.”

“Okay, but I like the guy who plays for the NFL…” Jane pouted as she shuffled through the files they had laid out on the table.

“And I like the neurosurgeon who graduated from John Hopkins.” Maura sighed heavily. “Maybe we should ask your mother to pick.” She didn’t mean it, not really but they both needed to laugh at this point.

“You know, that’s not a half-bad idea.” Jane perked up, knowing that her mother would most likely side with her.

Maura tilted her head to regard Jane with a look of surprise. “You’re joking, right?” She asked as she continued to watch Jane for any indication she was, indeed, joking because she had to be.

“No, I think we should get her in on this.” Waving her hands around the table, Jane grinned.

“Wait, is this because you think your mother will side with you on this?” Maura had a skeptical expression on her face as she studied the lopsided grin on Jane’s face.

“What?” Jane shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe…” she relented after Maura continued to gaze at her with those intense hazel-green eyes.

“Well, if we ask your mother then I propose we ask mine as well.” Maura countered and glared at Jane in a way that brokered no argument.

“Sure, why not get Frankie and Frost here too. And I think the guy down at deli is free, you know the one who makes the good pastrami sandwiches.” Jane sat back in her chair and sulked.

“You’re on board if you can benefit, but I throw a twist at you and all of a sudden you want to invite deli guy in on our decision.”

For a minute they were silent, glaring at each other but then Jane softened her scowl and sighed. “I know this is a big decision but it’s sooo hard…”

“You think? We’re only picking a father for our child… in a nonconventional way, that is.” Maura seemed to relax as well as she sat back and crossed her arms. “But maybe it isn’t a bad idea to ask our mothers to look at the files. A fresh perspective is what we need.”

Jane was quiet as she thought over Maura’s proposal. They were both exhausted and cranky, something that didn’t happen often at the same time. “Okay, but let’s narrow it down to four choices. If you offer my Ma any more than that, Valley will be in collage before she makes a decision.”

Shuffling through the files, Maura studied each one carefully before making her decision. “I like one and five.” She said pulling them out and putting them aside.

Looking at the file’s Maura had set aside, Jane nodded then turned her attention to the other ones scattered about. When she was happy with her choice, she pulled one file out and handed it to Maura. “I like five and seven.” 

“Hmmm… interesting.” Maura said as she flipped through number seven’s file. “So, it looks like we have three choices here.”

“Maybe we should just pick number five since we both like it.”

“Who knows, maybe we will.” Maura stacked the other files into a pile and pushed them aside. “Should we invite our mother’s over for dinner and present them with our choices?”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Jane pushed herself up from her chair and moved around the table to where Maura sat. Draping her arms around Maura’s neck from behind, she leaned down to place a soft, gentle kiss to the cheek next to hers. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”

A shiver ran through Maura’s body at the touch of Jane’s lips to her cheek and she let out a long, slow sigh. “Maybe, but I don’t mind hearing it again.” She said as she leaned close and rested her cheek against Jane’s.  
“Well, I do ya know. I love you so much.” Jane hugged Maura tighter. “And I know this is a serious decision. I want to make sure we are on the same page though.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more and I love you too.” Maura turned her head so her lips could find Jane’s. 

The kiss started out innocent enough, but when Maura parted her lips to allow Jane’s tongue to explore, the heat that built between them grew intense. A soft moan escaped Maura’s mouth as Jane’s lips moved lower to the side of her neck. The feeling of Jane’s tongue tracing patterns along the skin she found under Maura’s ear caused them both shiver in anticipation. And as Jane’s mouth continued to explore soft skin, her left hand moved to hover above the V-neck of Maura’s t-shirt allowing her fingers to trace the V just about the ample cleavage she was looking down on. When Maura moaned again, Jane allowed her hand to dip down past the light fabric of the t-shirt to cup a full breast, but the sound of the front door opening caused her to freeze before her hand could journey further.

“F..u..c…” Jane started to say but stopped when she felt Maura’s hand come to rest on her own giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“Later Babe…” Maura whispered against the cascade of dark hair that fell down around her neck and shoulders where Jane was now resting her forehead. 

The sound of Valley squealing in the entryway caused Jane to quickly remove her hand from Maura’s t-shirt. “I love our daughter more than anything, but she’s one hell of a cockblocker.”

“I’d say she’s learning from the best.” Maura laughed when Angela and Valley appeared around the corner.

“You can say that again.” Jane sighed as she rested her hands on Maura’s shoulders before leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Kissing… yuck!” Valley held her nose and moved her hand in a waving motion in front of her face.

“Oh, no… you’ve awoken the Kissing Monster…” Jane twisted and contorted like she was turning into a monster. “And she’s hungry…” she reached out towards Valley who squealed again as she turned to run away from Jane who had just turned into the Kissing   
Monster. “Come’ ere… I need some kisses.”

“No way Jose!” Valley giggled when Jane caught up to her and began to pepper her with kisses. “You’re Mama, not the Kissing Monster…” 

Jane straightened and looked down at Valley in her arms. “I’m not the Kissing Monster?” She asked as Valley twisted around in her arms, so she put her down.

“No Mama, I’m the Kissing Monster…” Valley pretended to become a monster just as Jane had, baring her teeth and growling.

“Oh, my…” Jane feigned fright as she held her hand to her heart. “You’re gonna haveta catch me first.” She laughed as Valley continued to growl and stock her slowly. With a quick wink at Maura, she spun around and ran towards the living room with Valley hot on her heels.

“I’m gonna get you, Mama…” Valley called out as she chased Jane.

“Give her a kiss from me.” Maura interjected as Valley and Jane disappeared.

“Hey, you feeling alright? You looked a little flush when we came in.” Angela asked as she sat across from Maura trying not to look interested in the stack of files sitting at the end of the table. 

“I’m fine, but thanks for asking.” Maura placed her elbows in the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. She could see that Angela was dying to know what was in the files. She remained quiet for a minute as she watched her mother-in-law fidget around in her seat, trying not to seem interested in the files. “Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? Jane and I want to get your opinion on something.” 

Angela’s eyes widened at the invitation. “Um… yeah. I’d love to, what can I bring?” 

“Just come over about six, we should have everything we need.” 

A small smile creased Angela’s lips as she glanced at the files and then back at Maura again. “Are those the donor files?” She couldn’t help herself from asking.

Maura was quiet as she studied the giddy expression on Angela’s face, and she couldn’t help but smile as well. “They are and we were hoping you and my mother would have a look at the three we’ve chosen to take a better look at.”

“Really? You want our help?” Angela seemed surprised by Maura’s statement.

“Well, of course. This is an important decision and we want you to be a part of it.”

“Oh, Maura…” Angela jumped up from the table and moved around so she could give Maura a hug. “Thank you so much for including us. I was afraid Jane was too angry to let me be involved.”

“I know Jane can act a little blustery sometimes, but she’ll always need you, Angela.”

Glancing over at the files, Angela couldn’t help but reach out and run a finger over the heavy paper that held the answer to the possible donor. “Are these the files?” She asked as her finger continued to trace the edge cautiously. 

“Actually, those are the ones we don’t want. These…” Maura held up the three files she had been resting her elbows on. “These are the three we are seriously considering.

“Wow, are you telling me that the key to my grandchildren lies somewhere in these three folders?” Angela wanted so badly to take them and look through them, but she knew she would have to wait.

“Yep, and tonight after dinner and hopefully a few bottles of wine… we can go over them and make our decision.” Maura smiled up at Angela who continued to stand behind her looking down at the files on the table.

“Okay, I’ll be here at six… sharp.” Angela leaned down and gave Maura another hug before heading over to her cottage.

“Hey, Angela…” Maura called out before Angela could leave. “Could you keep Valley tonight? I think Jane and I might need some time… alone…” she stuttered slightly on the last word.

Angela laughed and waved a hand towards Maura. “OF course. And I figured that flush on both of your faces when we got home wasn’t from the heat… or maybe it was a little hot in here now that I think of it.” She gave Maura a quick wink before disappearing out the back door.

Shaking her head, Maura laughed as she stood up and gathered the files to put away. It was true that she and Jane’s little make-out session had heated things up a bit, something that hadn’t been happening enough in her opinion. Their busy lives and the plans they were making had taken precedence over some of their alone time and after that heated exchange that had been interrupted, she was ready for more. She smiled as the distant sound of Jane and Valley playing in the living room carried to her and she knew she wouldn’t change anything but having Angela right next door did have its perks, one she was going to take advantage of tonight.

***

“Well, ladies… dinner was fantastic. Thank you.” Constance took a sip of wine as she leaned back in her chair. “You have definitely picked up some pointers from Angela.” She said to Maura as her empty plate was whisked away by Jane. 

“She’s a very good student.” Angela beamed at Maura like a proud parent. “Since Jane won’t learn the family recipes, I’ve got to pass them to someone and who better than my wonderful daughter-in-law.”

“Thank you, Angela, you’re a good teacher.” Maura smiled, her cheeks turning slightly pink at the praise.

“I don’t know how you do it? Full-time jobs… motherhood… and still, you find time to make homemade pasta.” Constance held her wine glass up to toast Maura and Jane.

“I agree, they are really something.” Angela followed Constance’s lead.

“Come on, Ma… you know we couldn’t do all of this without your help. And yours as well…” Jane tilted her head towards Constance to include her. 

“Well, be that as it may… I’m still proud of you both.” Angela grinned at her daughter.

“As am I.” Constance concurred.

“Okay, enough of the buttering up. We promised to let you have a look at the files for the sperm donors and once we clean up the dishes… we’ll get right to it.” Maura laughed as she picked up several plates and followed Jane into the kitchen leaving a very giddy Angela who could barely sit still in her seat. Her mother, on the other hand, did her best to look cool, calm, and collected even though she had that little smirk on her face that indicated she was anything but. 

Stepping into the kitchen, Maura couldn’t help but feel a little giddy herself at the sight of Jane standing at the sink rinsing off the dishes. The sleeves of her oxford shirt were rolled up halfway and her forearms flexed with each plate she moved to the drying rack. Placing the dishes onto the counter, Maura moved to stand behind Jane before wrapping her arms around a slim waist. She let out a contented sigh before resting her chin on a broad shoulder and snuggled close to the body she held close to her own.

“Hey, everything okay?” Jane asked, setting another plate in the drying rack and then turning in the circle of Maura’s arms. 

“Everything is perfect.” Maura sighed again as she rested her cheek against the hallow of Jane’s throat. “It’s just that you look so sexy standing here… washing the dishes…”

“So that’s what gets you going these days… domestic bliss?” Jane raised a dark eyebrow in question. She looked at the top of Maura’s head and had the sudden urge to run her fingers through thick, honey-blonde hair but her hands were still damp, so she wrapped her arms around Maura instead and pulled her closer instead. “I seem to remember a time when my badass badge and gun made you all aflutter.”

“Everything about you makes me all aflutter. But just because you use a different kind of gun these days, doesn’t mean I don’t still appreciate how much of a badass you still are.” Maura said as she moved a hand to rub up and down Jane’s bicep. “Can you blame me for thinking my wife is sexy as hell when she insists on dressing like Carey Grant while doing the dishes. With bliss like this, who needs anything more?” She pulled back so she could look up at Jane. She smirked at the pink blush that colored Jane’s cheeks before lifting on her toes to place a soft kiss to the corner of a downturned mouth. 

“You probably think I don’t know who you’re talking about, but I do.” Jane laughed, but then stopped and stared down at Maura, a serious expression on her face. “You think I’m as suave as him?”

Running her hands up to the collar of Jane’s oxford shirt, Maura took one side in each hand and gave a gentle tug, pulling Jane down to meet her lips in a more passionate kiss. “Absolutely…” she hummed into the mouth against her. “And, you look damn sexy in a tux…”

“Jesus, Maur… are you trying to kill me? How am I supposed to go back out there and sit across the table from our mom’s when I can think about is getting you naked?” Jane ran shaky fingers through her long, dark hair. 

“There’ll be time enough for that later… I asked your mom to keep Valley tonight.” 

“You did, huh?” Jane smirked. “I guess it has been a few weeks since Ma kept her overnight and she does love sleeping over at her Nona’s.”

“I did have to promise to take them for pancakes at Phillipe’s, though.” 

Jane’s eyes lit up at the prospect of having breakfast at their favorite neighborhood restaurant. “Not too early, I hope.”

“That might cost us and ice cream sundae, but it’ll be worth it to sleep in.” Maura laughed.

“I suppose an extra hour in bed is worth an ice cream sundae.” Jane grinned at the thought of sharing a Velociraptor Sundae with Valley. “As long as we can get extra cherries and whipped cream.”

“Wait… who am I bribing here?” Maura gave Jane’s side a gentle pinch.

“Hey…” Jane tried to squirm away from frisky fingers. “Who’s complaining? We get the best of both worlds.”

“We do, don’t we?” Maura seemed surprised by Jane’s admission. It was true that they worked hard and sometimes it got in the way of their family time and worse yet, their alone time. But they also had help at every turn, something not a lot of people had. It was something she appreciated and if it cost her a few pancake breakfasts or ice cream sundaes, then so be it.

Wrapping her arms around Maura and pulling her into a hug, Jane rested her chin on the top of a honey-blonde head and sighed. “We do. We have everything…”

“And we’re about to have even more, but first we need to head out to the dining room.” Maura hugged Jane tighter. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”

“Maybe, but why don’t you save that thought and show me later… when we’re alone.”

“You’ve got a deal, but I’m going to say it anyway… I love you.” Maura pulled back and gave Jane a quick kiss. “I’ll get Valley ready for bed and pack her overnight bag. I know her bedtime is eight, but it won’t hurt to let her stay up an extra hour while we go over things.”

Jane nodded her agreement. “I’ll finish here, open another bottle of wine, and meet you in the dining room so we can face the firing squad.”

“It won’t be that bad. We just need to emphasize that it’s our decision, no matter what… we have the final word.” Maura said as she turned to leave.

“Easier said than done, but yeah.” Jane laughed as she swatted Maura’s rear end with a dishtowel.

“Oh, you’ll pay for that later.” Maura called out over her shoulder.

“You promise?” Jane wiggled her eyebrows before turning back to the leftover dishes in the sink. 

Maura shook her head as she left, laughing as well. She had missed these little moments of quiet intimacy with Jane, but she wouldn’t trade the chaos of family life for anything. As difficult as things could get, they were about to get even more difficult as they   
set about making one of the biggest decisions of their lives… picking a sperm donor. But hopefully, with the help of their moms, the decision might be a little easier than they thought. 

***

With Valley settled down in front of the television, watching Toy Story 2 for the millionth time, Maura returned to the dining room to find her mother and Angela sitting close with heads bent towards each other as they whispered quietly amongst themselves.

“What’s up, ladies?” Maura asked as she dropped down in a chair across the table from her mother. 

“Just waiting to give our opinion on a sperm donor for our grandchild.” Constance sat up quickly, moving away from Angela as she reached for her glass of wine. When she found only a swallow left, she raised an eyebrow at Maura silently asking for more,   
getting a nod in response. 

“Jane’s bringing out another bottle…” Maura said, giving her own empty glass a light tap. She glanced over her shoulder, wondering where her wife was and then smiled when Jane slipped through the door with a newly opened bottle of wine. “Perfect timing.”   
Holding her glass up, she indicated she should be first. As Jane filled her glass, she smirked knowingly and winked in that way that melted Maura into a puddle of need.

“At your service, my dear.” Jane gave a rather gallant bow as she poured the wine. “Valley chilling in the living room?”

“Watching Toy Story 2… again?” Maura said as she swirled the red wine in her glass before taking a sip. Sighing in satisfaction, she smiled up at Jane and nodded towards her mother and Angela. “I think they need a refill as well.”

“On it…” Jane moved around the table, pouring each woman a glass of wine. 

“You’re a good host, Janie.” Angela held up her glass in a mock toast before taking a sip of the wine she couldn’t pronounce the name of. “You always have such good taste in wine, Maura.”

“She gets that from me.” Constance gave Maura a quick wink and bumped her shoulder against Angela’s.

“I suppose so…” Maura mused as she ran her finger along the base of her wine glass. Even though her childhood had been lonely and isolated, her mother’s efforts to be more emotionally available hadn’t gone unnoticed over the years. They were all in a good   
place now and she couldn’t help but wonder if Angela had something to do with that. The feeling of Jane dropping down in the seat next to her gave her cause to smile, especially when an arm wrapped around her shoulder casually. 

“I might need to slow down or I’ll have to take one of those Buber cars home.” Constance said as she took a sip of wine.

“You mean Uber.” Jane laughed as she tipped her beer bottle back to take a long drink, thankful she didn’t need to worry about driving tonight.

“Don’t worry, you can sleep in the guestroom and Valley can sleep with me.” Angela offered.

“Ma, we’re trying to break her of the habit of sleeping with us. She needs her own bed.” Jane couldn’t help but frown at her mother.

“No worries, my dear… Constance can just sleep with me then.” It was a compromise, but one Angela could live with.

Constance tilted her head to give Angela a sideways glance. “Well, that’s the best offer I’ve had in months.” A mischievous grin slid across her lips causing Angela to giggle.

Maura’s mouth dropped open at her mother’s comment. “What happened with you and Liam?” She asked, uncertainty lacing her words.

“Oh, that…” Constance waved away Maura’s question with a casual wrist flick. “What’s that word your generation throws around so much…” she tapped her index finger against her lip as she tried to remember the word. 

“A fling?” Jane offered but then looked dully chastised when Maura glared at her. “What?” She whispered at the look of admonishment she was receiving.

“Yes!” Constance clapped her hands together. “A fling…”

“But I thought you were getting along quite well.” Maura couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. Since her father’s death, her mother hadn’t had any lasting relationships. It worried her to see her mother alone so much.

“We were and we still do, Maura.” Constance raised a questioning eyebrow at Maura. “Why the Spanish inquisition about my love life all of a sudden.”

“No inquisition, mother… just concern.” Maura dropped her gaze to her wine glass and the dark red liquid that swirled around as she lifted it up to take a drink. “I hate to see you alone, that’s all. You haven’t really dated anyone since…” she hesitated. “Well, since dad passed away.”

“Hmmm…” Constance nodded her understanding. “I’ve had my fair share of relationships but I’m afraid none of them will ever be your father, so… they usually turn into flings that satisfy the needs of both parties involved. I’m not looking for a life partner because I’ve already had that. I like my life, the freedom to do what I want when I want. Of course, men are a good distraction in the short term, but I think I’ll look elsewhere for something meaningful… if I’m so inclined.”

Maura was quiet for a minute as she tried to understand what her mother was saying. She could feel Jane shifting uncomfortably next to her and wondered if they shared the same thoughts on what had been said. When Jane cleared her throat nervously, she had her answer, but she needed to hear it from her mother. “What are you saying?” She asked even though she already suspected she knew. 

“What I am saying, young lady, is that even though I appreciate your concern, it is none of your business.” Constance’s dark blue eyes grew darker, indicating that Maura should drop the subject.

Reaching over, Angela placed a hand on Constance’s to try and defuse the situation. She gave the hand under her own a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “Can we please see the files now? We’ve been waiting all night for this moment. I think you’ve tortured us long enough…” she gave Jane a pointed look that silently conveyed the subject of their conversation had changed and would stay that way.

Glancing at Maura for permission to hand out the files, Jane was surprised to see that Maura was watching her mother with a level and stern gaze that warned their conversation wasn’t over. But then something silent passed between Maura and Constance and she wondered what she had missed. When Maura smiled at her and nodded in agreement, she jumped up to gather the files to pass them out. “Alright…” she said as she placed one in front of her mother and then another in front of Constance. “But let’s get one thing straight, Maura and I have the last word. We will consider your opinions and suggestions but when it comes down to it… our final decision is just that… ours.”

“Understood.” Constance turned serious as she placed a protective hand over the file in front of her.

“Really, Janie?” Angela glared at Jane and then Maura as if to say she didn’t appreciate the tone of Jane’s statement. She still had her hand on Constance’s but quickly removed it when Maura’s eyes dropped down and then back up to meet her own causing her cheeks to color with a light blush. 

Again, Jane noticed something pass between everyone at the table, something she didn’t understand… something she wasn’t privy to and it irritated her. Glancing at Maura, she received that reassuring smile that said they’d talk later, and it eased the knot that had formed in her stomach. She wasn’t sure where the knot had come from or why it had formed in the first place, so she took another sip of beer and felt better. Perhaps she needed something stronger, like a shot of whiskey but quickly dispelled that idea because she wanted a clear head for later.

Everyone was quiet as they looked over each file, humming and nodding in all the right places or at least Maura supposed so. She already knew who her pick was, and she hoped there was enough wiggle room for compromise between her and Jane to come to an agreement. There was the flutter of nervous excitement twitching in her stomach as they got closer to deciding on something that would change things forever. And then there was the thought of a pregnant Jane and joy bubbled up in her chest at the anticipation of it all. But as her mind continued to wander down the path of things to come, she felt Jane move closer to her and then warm breath ghosted across her ear pulling her from her reverie. 

“Hey…” Jane asked, her lips dangerously close to the curve of Maura’s ear. “Why the pensive expression? Everything okay?” 

“Couldn’t be better.” Maura turned so she could look Jane in the eyes. She couldn’t stop herself from placing a soft, lingering kiss to the mouth that was so close to her own. “I can’t wait to get you pregnant.” The words were whispered against Jane’s slightly parted lips.

“You think pretty highly of yourself, don’t you doc?” Jane smirked. “Do you think you’re up for the challenge?”

Maura raised an eyebrow and smirked as well. “You doubt my prowess?” She couldn’t help but place another kiss on Jane’s lips. “We both know that I have many skills.”

“You know, we are sitting right here…” Constance glanced up from the file she had been studying and cleared her throat to get Maura and Jane’s attention.

Biting down on her bottom lip, Maura tilted her head so she could lean it against Jane’s and let out a shaky sigh. “Sorry… it’s just…” she hesitated as tears welled up in her eyes. “It's just that… I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted this with you. The fact that you’re willing to do this…” the tears that had pooled in her eyes began to roll down her cheeks. “I never thought we could have it all, yet here we are… about to have everything we’ve ever wanted, together.”

“Oh, honey…” Jane quickly wrapped Maura up in a hug, pulling her close. 

Constance watched the exchange between her usually stoic daughter and daughter-in-law feeling wetness collect at the corners of her own eyes. There was so much love surrounding them at that moment, and she was so grateful for everything they had and everything they were about to have. The sound of Angela sniffling next to her alerted her to the fact that they needed to move on so Maura and Jane could finally have some alone time. “I choose this one.” She slapped her hand down on the table on top of the now-closed file she had been studying. Her sudden movement startled everyone at the table, but it was a much-needed interruption, one that got a small smile of gratitude for Maura who wasn’t used to feeling vulnerable.

“Oh, wait…” Angela sniffled again as she wiped her eyes. “Which one is that?” She craned her neck so she could see the number at the top of the file Constance continued to rest her hand on. “Oh, yes, yes… that’s the one I like too.” Her eyes shone with excitement as she clapped her hands together. Having Constance agree with her choice was a huge bargaining chip, at least she thought it was. 

Placing a quick kiss to Maura’s forehead, Jane pulled back so she could make sure everything was alright. When she was sure things were okay, she glanced over at the file sitting protectively under Constance’s hand and tried to hide her smile of relief when she saw the number at the top. She knew what she wanted but she also knew she would need to compromise with Maura. Both her mother and Constance had seen that and had chosen appropriately. The only thing left was to see if Maura agreed. Schooling her expression, she tried to look nonplussed as she nodded and reached for the file to place it in front of Maura.

“Number five…” Maura’s lips twitched up into a small smile. It had been her consolation choice; one she knew would fit the brief for them both.

“That’s the one who works at JPL?” Jane asked, her heart racing as she tried not to sound too interested even though she was ecstatic. “Didn’t he win a gold medal in 2016 on the rowing team, too?”

“Yes, to both of those questions.” Maura gave Jane a sideways glance. She knew that Jane wanted someone athletic, but she wanted someone academic.

“Yeah, yeah… I like him too.” Jane sat up straighter in her chair, doing her best to quell her nervous energy. “He’s 6’6” with black hair and blue eyes, and his family is Irish/Italian. Sounds like a great mashup of us.” She waved her hand between her and Maura.

“I think he has a good bit of what we both were hoping for and the bonus…” Maura pointed to something in the file that made her smile. “He’s a friend of the rainbow.”

“Friend of the rainbow?” Angela asked. “What does that mean?”

“He’s gay, Ma.” Jane let out an impatient huff.

“Oh…” Angela’s eyes widened. 

“I concur that he’s a good match…” Constance added. “He seems to have quite a bit of the same qualities as both of you. Smart, athletic…” she started to say.

“And he’s Italian!” Angela said excitedly, interrupting the flow of Constance’s thought. 

“And Irish, too!” Constance interjected even though she herself was from Greek descent. She gave Angela the side-eye causing them both to laugh. “Imagine that, we all agree. Make sure you remember this day because I’m sure it won’t happen again for another seven years.”

“It’s only logical.” Maura shrugged her shoulders. “He fits the brief and I think we both get what we want.” She looked at Jane to see if she agreed.

“Well, I guess I a gold medal winner is almost as good as a professional football player…” Jane said thoughtfully, touching her chin as if thinking.

“And I guess Stanford is almost as good as Harvard.” Maura mimicked Jane.

“So, does this mean we’ve made our decision?” Jane turned to Maura, a hopeful look on her face. 

“I think so.” Nodding, Maura smiled wide before turning her attention to her mother and Angela. “I’m glad you were a part of this. It means a lot to have you involved…”

“Even though we get the final say...” Jane added quickly, drawing a frown from both her mother and Maura. “What?” She asked innocently.

“We are quite aware of that.” Constance chuckled lightly. “And now, I think it’s time we left these two alone to discuss the next step.” Turning her attention to Angela, she waited for her to agree.

“I guess so.” Angela took the last sip of her wine before pushing herself away from the table. Pausing, she grinned at Jane and her eyes welled up with tears again. “I’m so happy for you. I can’t believe my Janie is going to have a baby.”

“Ma, please… don’t…” Jane could feel her own tears threatening. “You can’t let Valley see you crying, she’ll think something’s wrong.”

“Okay, but I’m going to give you a hug whether you like it or not.” Angela jogged around the table to Jane and engulfed her in a hug. “I love you so much.” She whispered in Jane’s ear as she held her close.

“I know Ma, I love you too.” Jane didn’t try to squirm away as her mother continued to hang on to her. She really was grateful to have her around, even if she did try her patience sometimes. The unconditional love her mother offered was something she didn’t ever want to take for granted. Their little family was about to grow, and she knew they needed all the help they could get. “Thanks for the help.” She mumbled around the lump of emotion that had formed in her throat.

When Angela finally let go of Jane, she found both Constance and Maura smiling at them warmly. She couldn’t help but wonder why, after all these years, Constance kept Maura at arm’s length. Even though things were better between them, Constance found it difficult to drop the stoic demeanor that made her who she was. So, when she let go of Jane, she grabbed Maura to offer the comfort and emotional support Constance couldn’t. The hug she got in return reassured her that Maura was okay. “We love you both so much.” She said as she released Maura from her hold.

“And we love you, too...” Maura said. When she looked at her mother, she saw all the unspoken things she wanted to hear in the depths of dark blue eye’s that watched her with light and love.

“Is Valley all packed up?” Angela asked as she waited for Constance to finish her wine and stand up so they could leave.

“Of course,” Maura grinned at her mother-in-law because she and Jane were mere minutes from finally being alone. “But don’t forget, you promised to give us until ten to sleep in.”

“And then we go for pancakes.” Angela said as she nodded her agreement.

“Will there be bloody Mary’s as well?” Constance asked as she stood and smoothed down the wrinkles in her slacks.

“It wouldn’t be brunch without them…” Maura stated.

“Good, good…” Constance smiled in appreciation. “And do we have another bottle of this fabulous wine at your place?” She asked Angela.

“I do, Maura keeps my wine selection well stocked.” Angela said as she began to shoo Constance towards the living room to round up Valley and her night bag. “We’ll see you in the morning, ladies.” She said over her shoulder as they disappeared around the corner.

“We’d better go say goodnight to the Butterbean, or we’ll never hear the end of it in the morning.” Jane took Maura’s hand so they could follow. 

“And then…” Maura gave the hand in her own a gentle squeeze. “I get you all to myself.” 

***

“So, how do we go about this insemination thing? I’m not sure how I feel about doing it in a cold, drab doctor’s office.” Jane sighed as she snuggled closer to Maura after their second round of making love. It was something she had been thinking about lately.   
The thought of giving a stranger the responsibility of impregnating her left a bad taste in her mouth.

“Well…” Maura said as she propped herself up on an elbow so she could look down at Jane. “I was thinking… a suite at The Four Season, a bottle of champagne, and a turkey baster… and voila, we make a baby.”

“Really?” Jane arched an eyebrow in interest as she thought about it. “We can do that?”

“We can do anything we want, my dear. I am, after all, a doctor.” Maura reached over to run her fingers through dark hair before running her index finger down the curve of Jane’s cheek and then bringing it to come and rest in the dimple of her chin. “It might take a few tries, but we can have fun with it.” 

There was a gleam in Maura’s eyes that caused Jane’s breath to hitch. “You really are going to get me pregnant, aren’t you?”

“I’m very good with my hands and as I said before, I have many skills.” Maura gave a sexy wink and smirk as she wiggled her fingers in an exaggerated way. “There’s a study that says having an orgasm right before insemination can increase the chances of getting pregnant. So, for now, I think we should practice… a lot.” She straddled Jane’s hips in a move that surprised them both.

“Well then, don’t let me stand in the way of your magic hands.” Jane gave her hips a little wiggle causing Maura to laugh. 

“I might need my hands for the insemination…” Maura started to say but was interrupted when Jane pulled her down into a kiss.

“Less talk and more practice.” Jane murmured against Maura’s lips. 

Maura moved her mouth so her lips could skim over Jane’s jaw and then down to the hollow of her throat. She could feel Jane’s pulse in the side of her neck, strong and steady beneath her before she moved lower. “Practice makes perfect…” she whispered to herself as the feeling of Jane’s fingers tangling in her hair and pushing her lower made her grin wickedly. And with a soft sigh, she allowed herself to revel in the fact that their baby would be conceived in love by her own hand… again and again… and again if necessary.


	6. Chapter 6

*Hi everyone, I hope this finds you all well. I know that these are crazy and uncertain times right now, but I hope that everyone is safe and healthy. I also know it is difficult to have to be away from friends and loved ones because I’ve gone two weeks without seeing my Mom… who is essentially my best friend. And now it looks like we may have to go another two weeks to even a month as our state is going into lockdown starting tomorrow. Thank goodness for video chat. I want to give a big thanks to any one of you out there who is working every day on the front lines no matter what your job is. To all of you essential workers… you are greatly appreciated. Also, I want to thank all of you who bought or read my book Chrome Painted Heart on Kindle Unlimited. It means more than I can say to have you all support me out there. And if you did read it and liked it… reviews are another great way of showing support so if you do have the time and inclination… it would be very much appreciated even if it is a sentence or two. Since I’ve been home with the social distancing… I have started on the second book and may even finish it before July which was my deadline. I will keep you all posted about it as it develops. And to anyone out there who just needs a chat or word of encouragement at this time, please feel free to message me on here. Hang in there…* 

6

“Let me get a turkey Ruben with extra sauerkraut, an extra side of Russian dressing, and please tell me you have potato salad today.” Jane said as she settled in her seat across from Frankie. The order brought a raised eyebrow from both him and Carly who stood over them with her pen poised over her pad in question. “What?” She frowned at the questioning looks.

“You sure you’re not pregnant?” Frankie asked as he looked up at the chalkboard menu to see what the special of the day was.

“I’m sure.” Jane grumbled and ducked her head.

“It took Ryan and me a few times to hit the target but eventually, on the third try…” Carly shrugged her shoulders as she wrote Jane’s order down. “Whatcha want to drink?”

“Water with lemon.” Jane sighed heavily and crossed her arms. Frankie raised an eyebrow again as he watched her. “I’m not supposed to have caffeine or too much sugar… or anything that isn’t natural.” She offered an explanation.

“Wow.” Frankie said. “You’re really taking this seriously, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah. Sperm isn’t free like it is for you. It actually costs a lot of money.” She pointed at him and frowned. “I need to do everything I can to help the process along.”

Frankie furrowed his brow. “I guess I never thought about it that way. Maybe it’ll work next time.”

“Like I said, we hit the bull’s eye on the third try.” Carly smiled proudly. “You going to do it at the clinic?”

“Nah… we want to make it special.” Jane’s cheeks turned pink with the blush that was beginning to race over her face. 

“Hmmm… a little wine… a little dinner… and a little…” Frankie wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Jane before turning his attention back to the chalkboard menu.

“Come on, Frankie… make a decision already. I’m starving…” Jane grumbled.

“Alright, alright…” he looked up at Carly with a wide grin. “I’ll have the grilled three-cheese sandwich and the tomato soup.”

“You made me wait for that? It’s the same thing you always get.” Jane crossed her arms and stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, but it was obvious it wasn’t just Frankie that was bothering her.

“Good choice…” Carly winked at Frankie as she wrote his order down. “Hey, don’t worry. It’ll happen…” she turned her attention to Jane.

“Thanks, Carly.” Jane let out a heavy sigh before giving Carly a weak smile in return. “The waiting sucks. And we all know I’m not the most patient person…” she rolled her eyes dramatically.

“You can say that again.” Frankie chuckled. “Oh, you still got that artisan cream soda on tap?” He asked Carly.

Nodding Carly continued to write on her pad. “Yep, I take it you want one…”

Frankie clapped his hands together and grinned. “Absolutely!” He said excitedly. 

“So?” Jane gave Frankie a questioning glance as Carly walked away, leaving them alone. “What’s up?” She asked even though she thought she might already know.

“Nothing…” he shrugged his shoulders before shaking out his napkin and placing it in his lap.

For a minute, Jane was quiet as she studied her brother sitting across the table from her. She watched as he shifted nervously under her gaze and then she shook her head. “Nah, somethings up? What gives?” She pressed.

“Well…” he drew the word out as he leaned back and crossed his arms. “I may have bought a ring.” He grinned mischievously.

“May have?” Jane raised a questioning eyebrow as she continued to stare at him with uncertainty. 

“Okay…” he uncrossed his arms and then reached into his pocket to pull out a small velvet pouch, presenting it to Jane with a smirk.

“Wow, this is big.” She leaned closer to the small velvet bag in the palm of Frankie’s hand. “Can I see it?” 

For a brief second, he seemed hesitant before he handed the pouch over to her with a worried look on his face. “It’s not much, I know… buts it’s all I could afford.” He stammered as he watched her remove the ring from the delicate velvet bag. 

Jane stopped to look at her brother, a curious expression on her face as the ring dropped into the palm of her hand. “You’re a good man Frankie and any woman would be lucky to have you.” She said, holding the solitaire diamond up to admire it in the sunlight that streamed in through the large ceiling to floor windows of Carly’s bakery. “And for the record, it’s a beautiful ring.” The weight of her own ring made her smile as she slipped it back into the bag and handed it over to Frankie.

“Really?” He asked, needing her approval.

“Absolutely.” She grinned at him as he held the small bag in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the black velvet before slipping it back into his pocket. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well, that’s where you come in.” He sat up straighter in his chair. “I was hoping you might have some ideas.”

“Hmmm…” Jane scrunched her face up in thought. “I might have one or two…” her voice trailed off when she noticed Tommy come in the door. She smiled and waved at him when he saw her, ducking her head slightly as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t be. “Hey, have you told Tommy yet?”

Frankie glanced over his shoulder when he saw Jane wave at someone and winced slightly at her question. “Not really…” he glanced again to find Tommy heading their way with a huge smile on his face. “He’ll go tell Ma.” His expression turned to one of worry.

“Hey, Tommy…” Jane jumped up to hug her baby brother. “What’s up?”

“I could ask you the same thing. You guys having a family meeting without me?” Tommy looked between Jane and Frankie; suspicion written all over his face.

“I didn’t have to work today so I asked Jane to lunch. I would’ve asked you, but I knew you were working… or at least you said you were.” Frankie struggled to say.

“I’m just teasing.” Tommy gave Frankie’s shoulder a little shove. “I am working today. Just so happens to be down the street so I thought I’d come by and get a Turkey Ruben.”

Jane smiled at the realization that she and Tommy were more alike than she realized. “You got time to join us?” She asked.

“I donknow… maybe…” he glanced down at his watch. “Are you sure?” He asked, slightly skeptical. He had always been the odd man out when it came to Frankie and Jane, especially since his incarceration. 

“Have a seat.” Jane placed her booted foot on the empty chair across from her, next to Frankie and pushed it out as an invitation.

“Well, I mean… okay… yeah… that’d be nice.” His look of genuine surprise caused Frankie to reconsider whether to keep him in the dark about the upcoming proposal. 

“Why do you look so surprised?” Jane asked the question with her own show of surprise. 

“I don’t know…” Tommy shrugged his shoulders as he dropped down in the chair next to Frankie. “I guess I’ve always felt like an outsider. You guys are thick as thieves…” he rolled his eyes at Jane’s frown. “Come on… it’s no secret you two are close and   
I’m… well…” 

Frankie glanced at Jane, looking for any indication as to what they should do or say but the look on her face spoke of regret and sadness. He wasn’t sure what to do so he decided to blurt out the news he had held back for fear that their mother would find out before he was ready. “I’m gonna ask Steph to marry me.” The words came out in a breathless rush.

Tommy’s eyes widened, followed by a grin. Jane watched her brother with a curious gaze as he wrapped an arm around Frankie’s shoulder in congratulations. Tommy had always stood out as different, not just his personality but his looks as well. Where she and Frankie were dark and brooding, Tommy was bright and hopeful and in Jane’s humble opinion… too naive. It’s what got him in trouble all those years ago before he ended up in jail for running over their priest, by accident of course. The light brown hair that haloed his head gave way to the typical good looks of a movie star, another reason he was always in trouble with women, they were always around him and not always with the best intentions. But his eyes, those hazel eyes that were so like their mother’s with long dark lashes that fluttered as he blinked, they were the reason most women couldn’t resist him. She had often thought of him as an anomaly because he didn’t look like her and Frankie with their trademark Rizzoli looks; dark hair, dark eyes, and olive complexion. But as she studied him across the table at that moment, probably for the first time in a long time, the realization that he looked so much like their mother hit her hard. Perhaps he was right, they had excluded him in a lot of things and regret seeped into her thoughts. Her frown gave her away when Tommy raised an eyebrow in question at her and it was then that she saw they all shared that same Rizzoli trademark quirk and it made her laugh.

“What’s up with you?” Tommy asked. “You hormonal or something?”

“Way to ruin a moment.” Jane shook her head. 

“Well, doesn’t explain what’s going on.” He pushed.

“I guess I was just thinking that maybe you’re right. Frankie and I haven’t been there for you like we should and well…” she hesitated when Frankie’s eyebrows rose up to his forehead. “We’re sorry.”

“Nah, I get it. We’re just different… that’s all.” Tommy tried to shrug off Jane’s apology. 

“No, we actually aren’t that different.” Jane continued as she glanced at Frankie who wasn’t sure what to say. “Okay, maybe we are but that’s still no excuse. We’re…” she waved her hand between her and Frankie. “Well… we’re supposed to be looking out for   
you and we dropped the ball and for that…” her eyes fell on Frankie again seeking his acknowledgment. “We’re sorry, aren’t we Frankie.”

“Um… yeah… sorry…” Frankie stuttered as he glanced between Jane and Tommy. He wasn’t sure what to say because he understood what she was saying was true. It made him feel bad that she was right.

“Look, the past is the past. All we have is tomorrow so…” Tommy grinned wide and his hazel eyes twinkled just like their mothers. “Let’s just start from today.”

Jane nodded her agreement, but a rush of sadness washed over her at the realization that she was like their father in more ways than she was willing to admit than the woman that held their family together with love and understanding. It made her cheeks burn with shame as the color rose to her face and a lump formed in her throat. She gave a nervous cough to dislodge the embarrassment that had settled deep in her chest. “Yeah, good idea.” It was all she could think to say, and it caused Frankie to give her a questioning look. 

“Tell me, what’s the plan?” Tommy glanced between Jane and Frankie having noticed the silent communication between the two.

“Well, we haven’t gotten that far.” Jane sighed as she crossed her arms.

“What’s the hold-up?” Tommy asked but before anyone could answer, Carly came over to take his order.

“What’ll ya have?” Carley asked even though she was pretty sure she already knew. Tommy was a lot like Jane… a creature of habit.

“Turkey Ruben on rye, potato salad and if you got it, cream soda.” He grinned up at his cousin.

“Roger that.” She smiled down at him before writing the order down. With a quick wink, she turned and left them alone.

“When is Ryan due?” Tommy asked.

“Three weeks.” Jane smiled at the thought of Carly and Ryan becoming parents again. Then the thought that she would be doing the same with Maura caused her smile to widen.

“Any luck yet?” Tommy pointed at Jane.

“No, but we’ve got another chance coming up… soon.” Jane tried not to turn crimson at the subject of her pending ovulation with her brothers. 

“Good luck. I have complete faith in Maura knocking you up. If anyone can do it… it’s her.” Tommy’s grin turned wicked and he nudged Frankie with his elbow. “Now, about this proposal. What’re you thinking?”

“I was just getting ready to pick Jane’s brain for some ideas.” Frankie glanced at Jane then turned his attention to Tommy.

“You’re kidding, right? She doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.” Tommy frowned.

“How the hell would you know…” Jane glared at her younger brother.

“Come on. We all know that Maura is the romantic one.” Tommy’s eyes shined at the mention of Maura.

“Okay, we get it. You’ve got a thing for Maura.” Jane waved Tommy’s comment away with the flick of her wrist.

“Well, yeah. She’s gorgeous, smart, and apparently talented enough to knock up my sister.” He laughed.

“Not yet.” Frankie added but then grimaced when Jane frowned. “But it’ll happen.” He added with a reassuring smile.

“Thanks, but I’m not so sure.” Jane ducked her head in that way that both Frankie and Tommy recognized as defeat. 

“Hey…” Carly placed a hand on Jane’s shoulder as she set a sandwich down on the table. “Don’t get discouraged. It’s gonna happen. You’ve only tried once…” her voice trailed off as she smiled with confidence. 

“You’re right.” Jane did her best to hold her head up high and accept her family’s words of encouragement. They had only tried once and with any luck, they would be trying again very soon. “The sandwich looks so good.” Rubbing her hands together in anticipation, she waited until both Frankie and Tommy had their own food in front of them. She was starving and couldn’t wait to taste the homemade Russian dressing Carly made. 

“Enjoy guys.” Carly gave the siblings a wave as she headed back to her office, probably to call and check on Ryan.

“So, does it bother you that Steph has a kid already?” Tommy asked as he picked his sandwich up and took a hearty bite.

“No, not at all. Noah is a great kid.” Frankie stirred his tomato soup before giving it a quick check to make sure it wasn’t too hot.

“What about the ex? Is he a jerk?” Tommy wondered out loud.

“Not all fathers are losers like ours.” Jane said and glared at Tommy. 

Frankie sat with his spoon poised above his soup and swallowed hard at Jane’s comment. “Um, Steve is actually a pretty nice guy. He and Steph are good at co-parenting. And he is pretty respectful of our relationship.” He said to try and lead the conversation away from their father. It wasn’t that he disagreed with Jane, he just didn’t want to have this argument when they were supposed to be talking about his upcoming proposal. 

“That’s good.” Tommy glanced at Jane as if to say this isn’t over… yet. But there would be another time and place for them to have this discussion. “So, what were you thinking as far as proposals go? A big grand gesture or something classy and simple?”

“I’m not really a big grand gesture sort of guy.” Frankie said as he dunked his grilled cheese sandwich into his soup.

Jane smiled at her brother as she watched him eat. The memory of sitting at their kitchen table doing homework and eating grilled cheese and tomato soup flittered through her mind. They both dipped their sandwiches and she glanced at Tommy and   
wondered if he did the same. “So simple and classy it is…” she finally added to the conversation. 

Tommy was quiet as he chewed a bite of sandwich and then gave both Frankie and Jane a pained look. “Ya know, Ma is gonna be crushed if you do this without her.” He said as he swallowed his food. 

This time it was Frankie who glared at Tommy. “Don’t you dare tell her. She’ll pop the question before I can.” He pointed his spoon at his brother in a warning.

“Wait, I think I’ve got an idea…” Jane raised her hand to stop the impending argument that was about to take place between her two brothers. When they both looked at her in question, she grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I’ll ask Maura if you can use the boat.   
We’ll have it catered and you can have a romantic dinner in the marina and spend the night to… well… hopefully to celebrate.”

Frankie’s eyebrows shot up to his forehead again, in surprise. “You’d really do that for us?” He asked.

“Of course. Maura will love planning it out, you know how she is about stuff like this.” Jane tried to shrug it off a not being a big deal.

“Well, well, well… perhaps I spoke too soon.” Tommy wiped his mouth with a napkin and smiled at his sister. “I guess you are a bit of a romantic.” 

“You have no idea.” Jane smirked. “Speaking of romantic… maybe I’ll take lunch to Maura. I’m sure she’s tired of eating leftovers.”

“Will you ask Maura about the boat?” Frankie asked with excitement.

“Yeah, just give me a date and we can work from there. We’ll even take Noah for the night if you need us to.” 

“What about Ma? She’s gonna be crushed if we don’t somehow let her in on the celebration.” Tommy offered because he knew how much this would mean to Angela.

Jane nodded her understanding as she tried to come up with another idea. “Okay… I got it.” She held a finger up in exclamation. “We’ll host a brunch at ours and have everyone over so you and Steph can share the good news.” 

“You’re sure she’ll say yes, right?” Tommy couldn’t help but ask the question.

“Um… yeah… I think… I hope so.” Frankie stammered as his face turned red. He was ninety-nine percent positive she would, but it was that one percent that caused his stomach to flip with a wave of nausea. Setting his spoon down, he tried not to look as sick as he was feeling.

“No worries, Frankie. Us Rizzoli’s do have a way with women.” Jane laughed.

“You just said a mouthful.” Tommy laughed as well and winked at Jane.

“Well then Casanova, how are things with you and Casey?” Jane asked since Tommy hadn’t said much about her as of late. Their last family dinner, he had come alone with a set of excuses she didn’t buy. And his silence spoke volumes as Jane continued to watch him as he ducked his head in the same way she did when she wanted to avoid something. “Come on, what gives?”

“I guess my Rizzoli charms wore off.” He shrugged in a noncommittal way. When Jane continued to watch him with a questioning gaze, he threw his hands up in the air and sighed. “I couldn’t go vegan… she said she couldn’t be with someone who would eat animals.” 

The happiness that bubbled up in Jane’s chest surprised her, so she tried to hide it by burying her face in her sandwich. But she only succeeded in smearing Russian dressing across the tip of her nose and it didn’t go unnoticed by Tommy.

“Hey, I liked her.” He tried to defend his choice in women and turned to Frankie for support.

“You lost my vote with that vegan pizza and the non-cheese that tasted like sawdust.” Frankie offered his opinion.

“Look, she was really nice… even though she had some weird quirks.” Tommy creased his forehead in a wounded look.

“Quirks? Did you say quirks?” Jane wiped at the dressing on her nose before setting her sandwich down. “She called Ma a murderer and dumped the lasagna she spent hours cooking for family dinner. You know the one with the bolognaise sauce that tastes so good.” The look of horror on her face illustrated how serious and offensive this was. 

They were all quiet as the memory of that day came back and then suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted from the table as they all couldn’t contain it any longer. “I guess she was a bit much.” Tommy slapped the table as they continued to laugh. 

“Now that, my dear brother, is an understatement.” Jane sighed as she tried to catch her breath.

“It took us two weeks to convince Noah to eat chicken fingers again after she tried to convince him that the veggie version was just as good. And let’s not get started on the honey mustard he eats with everything. He cried for days when she told him he was killing the honeybee’s by taking their honey without their permission.” Frankie let out a heavy breath as he recalled how long it took for them to get back to their regular routine of chicken fingers with honey mustard. 

“Yeah, Valley had a hard time with that one too. But we planted some stuff in the back yard and bought one of those bee boxes so…” Jane sympathized with Frankie’s ordeal. “But I get it, processed foods are bad and that’s why Maura and I do our best to eat organic and grass feed and stuff like that.”

“You don’t know what any of that means…” Tommy gave her a skeptical look. “Do you?” 

“I mean, look… I just get what Maura puts on the list… so… probably not.” Jane admitted with a huff of frustration. “But we try our best. Casey made us all out to be ogres.”

“I guess I can see your point… but she sure did have a body.” Tommy rolled his eyes dramatically. “You know what I did the night we broke up?” He asked and continued when both Frankie and Jane shook their heads. “I went to Phillip’s and order their porterhouse steak for dinner. I even got the server’s phone number.” He grinned at the memory of both the steak and the girl. 

“Just like a cat… always landing on your feet.” Frankie shoved the last of his sandwich in his mouth and began to chew thoughtfully. Swallowing his food, he turned to Tommy with a serious expression on his face. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out; I know you liked her a lot.”

“Thanks, but we were too different. I knew we were going to have problems when I was hiding beef jerky in the back of the pantry so she wouldn’t throw it away. Not to mention the fights we used to have over bacon.” 

“I’m guessing tofu bacon didn’t cut it.” Jane couldn’t stop herself from smirking. Tommy just shook his head and made a face to indicate it tasted awful. “Speaking of bacon, I guess I should order Maura a BLT and get my butt over there before it’s dinner time.” She glanced down at her phone to see what time it was. 

“Hey, um… thanks for this.” Tommy’s voice cracked slightly.

“For what?” Frankie asked.

“For letting me a part of this… planning and stuff and just hanging out, ya know. It makes me feel like I’m part of the family.”

Frankie picked up his drink and eyed Jane over the rim of his glass as if to ask, ‘Now what?’ The genuine joy on Tommy’s face at having been invited to join them for lunch caused her brain to scramble for something to say. “Yeah… um… we’re glad to have you back. We should do this more often.”

“I’d like that.” He grinned at them.

“Me too.” Frankie said as he patted him on the back. “And lunch is on me… even Maura’s.” 

“Nah, you don’t have to do that.” Jane tried to wave away Frankie’s offer. 

“Really, please… you’re gonna pay me back soon enough by asking Maura about the boat. It’s the least I can do.” He insisted and Jane relented with a nod. 

“Well, since you put it that way…” Jane smiled as she pushed herself up from the table so she could put in a to-go order. “Then you won’t mind if I add a dozen of those lemon squares Maura and Ma love so much.”

Frankie hesitated briefly then smiled. “Go ahead… if it keeps Ma busy while we plan this thing, get two dozen.” 

Laughing, Jane just nodded as she looked over her shoulder at her two brothers. The sight of the two of them laughing and talking together warmed her heart and she realized that Tommy had been right. They can’t go back to yesterday, but they could make tomorrow count and that is what she planned to do from here on out. 

***

Black rimmed glasses sat perched upon Maura’s nose as she studied something on the computer in front of her. As the numbers on the screen began to run together, she pulled the glasses off and rubbed her tired eyes. It was only the middle of the day and already, she was exhausted. Her frustrated sigh was more from fatigue than anything else but she had to finish going over the scheduling for the next few weeks if she was to have any chance of spending the weekend at home with her family, or more importantly, with Jane who would be ovulating. A small smile curled up at the corners of her mouth as she remembered last month and their time away at the Four Seasons. But as much fun as that had been, she thought this time they would stay home and try again. And Jane had seemed relieved by the idea. 

“Hey, beautiful… what’s with the cryptic smile?” Jane popped her head into Maura’s office, startling her from her thoughts.

Setting her glasses down, Maura looked at Jane and continued to smile. “I was just thinking about what we’re going to be doing this weekend.”

“Nice to know that the thought of me can still make you smile like that…” Jane pointed at the sly, sexy grin on Maura’s face. 

“There’s a lot about you that makes me smile…” Maura paused when she saw the bags from Carly’s bakery in Jane’s hands. “And that is one of them.” She nodded at the bags with the hopes that they contained something delectable.

“Well, how about a BLT on whole wheat with potato salad and a dozen lemon squares for you and my Ma to share?” Jane held both bags up and shook them. 

“Ummm…” Maura pushed herself up from her desk and made her way across the room to stand in front of Jane. “You are the best.” Taking the bag Jane held out for her, she placed a quick, grateful kiss to Jane’s waiting lips. “Come sit down with me while I eat.” She said as she moved towards the small kitchenette she had thankfully insisted on for her office. It had been a godsend when Valley was there and during some of those late-night meetings, not to mention the private bathroom. Setting her bag down on the table, she opened the small refrigerator to get a cold bottle of water. “Want one?” She asked Jane.

“Yeah, thanks.” Jane took the water and then opened the bag with the lemon squares. She stopped midway through as she was rummaging around looking for the perfect one when Maura raised a questioning eyebrow at her. “What? I like lemon squares, too.” Jane stuck her lip out in a pout.

“If I didn’t know any different, I’d say you were already pregnant. You don’t have a sweet tooth like I do.” Maura laughed.

“Yeah, well… maybe I’m just practicing.” Jane chuckled as she continued to look for what she wanted. She smiled when she found the perfect square and pulled it out to show Maura. “Anyway, who can refuse one of these?”

“Just make sure you save some for me and Angela.” 

“No promises… I still have to pick Valley up from pre-school and she has her mommy’s penchant for sweets.”

Maura tried to glare at Jane over her sandwich but was unsuccessful because she knew it was true. “Please don’t get her hopped up on lemon squares before dinner.” She pleaded with a tilt of her head. 

“I won’t…” Jane acknowledged the seriousness of the request with a head tilt of her own. “But I can’t promise I won’t eat a few more…” she winked at Maura as she took a bite and moaned in that way that caused Maura’s legs to go wobbly. 

“You’re evil, you know that?”

“Who? Me?” Jane asked innocently as she not so innocently licked her fingers, removing any crumbs that stuck to her skin. 

“You’ll pay for that.” Maura shook her head before taking a bite of her sandwich.

“Promise?”

“You’re incorrigible.” Maura shook her head again at Jane’s antics. 

“Hey, I had lunch with Frankie and Tommy today.” Jane said, causing Maura to pause as she was getting ready to take another bite of her BLT. “Well, Frankie bought an engagement ring. He’s ready to propose.” 

“That’s great. How is he going to do it?” 

“Um… that’s where we come in…” Jane smiled at Maura. “I thought maybe they could have dinner on the boat and spend the night… ya know. I thought it might be romantic and not too showy… you know Frankie’s a simple kinda guy.”

“Yeah, that can be arranged.” Maura smiled at the memory of all their own romantic moments on that boat. “Do you have a caterer in mind, or do you need me to take care of that?” 

“I thought I’d leave that up to you and then maybe we could both help out, ya know… like with flowers and candles and stuff…” Jane stuttered slightly. 

“I think that’d be great.” Maura beamed at Jane. She loved doing the things that Jane had described. “Just give me a couple of day's notice and we can get it all arranged.”

“Oh, and I kinda volunteered us to do a family brunch the next day to celebrate.” Jane threw out as an afterthought. “I hope that’s okay.”

Maura was quiet for a moment as she contemplated what Jane had said. She figured she would just have the same caterer they hired for the boat set things up for them the next day. It would be easier that way. “I guess so.” She mused around a bite of BLT.

“It’s just that my Ma will be crushed if she isn’t included somehow.” Jane sighed heavily at the thought of her mother’s disappointment.

“I totally understand.” Maura offered her reassurance. “We’ll take care of it.”

“You’re amazing, you know that?” Jane reached across the table to touch Maura on the arm. She needed the contact because for some reason she was suddenly feeling vulnerable. 

Before Maura could respond, her assistant, Kelly pushed her office door open with two cups of her favorite coffee house coffee in each hand. As she used her foot to close the door again, she turned around to find Maura’s desk chair empty and looked around   
in alarm only to find both Jane and Maura sitting at the table they used for conferences. Clearing her throat nervously, she gave Jane a curt nod, getting one in return. 

The flirty banter between Jane and Maura deflated like a balloon with a hole in it and Jane couldn’t hide her irritation at the interruption. She suddenly lost her appetite and started to pick at her lemon square drawing a raised eyebrow from Maura. As she continued to pick, she just shrugged her shoulders at their interruption.

“I didn’t think you’d have time for lunch so… um… I brought you some coffee.” Kelly shifted her feet nervously under Maura’s curious stare and Jane’s irritated one.

“That’s very kind of you.” Maura smiled and Kelly immediately relaxed. “Here, why don’t you sit down and have the other half of my sandwich.” She offered the other half only to have it waved away. “No, really… I won’t be able to finish it.” 

Kelly stared long and hard at the sandwich before her stomach grumbled and she nodded her acceptance as she sat down between Jane and Maura. Jane frowned as she did and glanced at Maura, silently asking what she was doing by giving away the sandwich she had so thoughtfully brought her for lunch. She watched Kelly accept it from Maura with a grateful smile making her feel a little guilty for being such a grump about it.

“Um… thanks…” Kelly stammered nervously as she glanced at Jane.

“My wonderfully, thoughtful wife decided to surprise me by bringing lunch today. And she brought lemon squares too.” Maura beamed with pride at Jane who was still frowning.

“Lemon squares?” Kelly’s interest piqued as she looked at the delicate sweet treat that Jane was now picking at.

“They are the best in Boston if you ask me.” Maura continued as she took a bite of her sandwich. “And thank you for the coffee.” She said as she held up the cup that Kelly had set down in front of her. “Jane, would mind giving Kelly a lemon square?”

“What?” Jane started to say in surprise but stopped when Maura gave her a pointed look. She recognized that look. It was the one she got when she was in trouble. “Um… sure…” pushing the bag over to Kelly, she couldn’t help but give Maura a defiant pout.   
The move brought a small smile to Maura’s face as she shook her head.

“Thanks…?” Kelly said with a questioning tone as she took the bag before peering in and grabbing one of the squares. Pulling it out, she smiled at Maura and then gave a tentative one to Jane.

“Yeah, whatever…” Jane began to wave away the appreciation but then realized she was being a bit rude. “You’re welcome.” She cleared her throat nervously and got another little smile from Maura. 

Silence descended upon them as Maura and Kelly ate their sandwiches and Jane watched. She couldn’t help but notice the sideways glances that Kelly was giving Maura. They were filled with affection and wonder, and even though she didn’t like it, she could understand. It was obvious to her that Kelly had a crush on Maura, no matter how straight she claimed to be. And Maura was completely oblivious to it. Jane made a mental note to check in frequently and make sure her presence was felt even if she wasn’t there. She might even need to bring in reinforcements from time to time. Today was a good start though, lunch and lemon squares always got Maura’s attention, scoring Jane extra points on the romance scale, points she intended cashing in on over the weekend.

As Maura finished her sandwich, she glanced at her watch and let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve got an appointment at two o’clock that I need to get ready for.” She said pushing herself up from the table.

“What time do you think you’ll be home?” Jane asked.

“Well…” Maura moved around the table so she could bend down and wrap her arms around Jane’s neck. “I’ll try to be home by six if I can. My last appointment is at five and then I need to check over the schedule for the next two weeks.” She looked across the table at Kelly who nodded in understanding.

“I’ll give it a check over and try and have it ready for you to approve by the time you’re done today.” Kelly said as she tried to quickly finish her lunch. “And, thanks again for sharing your sandwich with me.” 

Jane watched Kelly gaze at Maura with what could only be described as stars in her eyes but before she could get mad, she felt the warm, gentle press of Maura’s lips against her neck. She couldn’t stop herself from smirking when Kelly’s face turned a light shade of pink. 

“Thank you for lunch, my sweet Jane.” Maura whispered in Jane’s ear.

The feeling of Maura’s warm breath against the outside of her ear caused Jane to shiver and the smirk to drop from her face. Her cheeks warmed with the blush that now raced across her cheeks and she cleared her throat nervously. “Will you be able to take the weekend off?” She tried to push away the urge to pull Maura down into her lap.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t let anything keep me from you.” Maura stood up and placed a hand on Jane’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, you’re not on call this weekend?” Kelly said around her last bite of sandwich, a look of disappointment on her face.

“No, Jane will be ovulating…” Maura started to say but was interrupted when Kelly started to choke on what was left of her food.

“You’re…” Kelly coughed and sputtered. “You’re trying to get pregnant?” Her eyes went from Maura to Jane then back to Maura again, surprise written all over her face. 

“Yep. We’re hoping she can finally knock me up this weekend.” Jane tried not to laugh at the look of what could only be described as abject horror on Kelly’s face.

“To answer your question, yes… we are trying to get pregnant.” Maura gave Jane’s shoulder another squeeze, this time not so gentle. “This will be our second try, so we’re hoping for a positive result in two weeks.”

“Well, um… congratulations… or maybe what I should say is good luck.” Kelly dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin. As she stood up from the table, she began to gather the trash concentrating on looking anywhere but at Jane. 

“Thank you.” Maura watched her assistant with a curious expression on her face. She wasn’t sure if the tone of Kelly’s voice held a hint of disappointment, but she was almost certain it did. 

“I’ll let you get ready for your next appointment and I’ll get to the schedule.” Kelly ushered herself towards the door. “And, um… thanks for bringing lunch today.” She turned her attention to Jane. Even though she said the words, there was no sincerity in them.

“I’m a lucky woman.” Maura bent to place a kiss on Jane’s cheek as she watched Kelly leave but before the door closed, she thought she heard Kelly huff in frustration. “That was weird. Kelly didn’t really seem sincere…” 

“No, probably not.” Jane reached around and pulled Maura down onto her lap. “I’ve wanted to do that, like… forever.” She sighed when Maura was snuggled up against her.

“I don’t understand what happened with Kelly. She seemed… I don’t know… kind of put out.” Maura leaned her forehead against Jane’s.

“That’s ‘cause she’s got a crush on you, babe.” Jane pulled Maura closer.

“What? No, she’s straight.” Maura pulled back to look at Jane with surprise, and uncertainty written all over her face.

“I can’t say that I blame her.” Jane grinned at her wife. “You’ve got my heart all aflutter.” She gave Maura’s side a little pinch. “Especially when you wear these black scrubs.”

“You really think she has a crush on me?” Maura asked, concern lacing her voice.

“I do, but I think it’s pretty harmless.” Jane tried to hide her trepidation because even though she thought it was harmless now, she also knew how irresistible Maura could be. 

“What should I do?” Maura sighed heavily.

“Nothing, it’s just a crush. It’ll pass…” Jane leaned in to place a quick kiss to Maura’s mouth. 

“Did I do something to make her think I was interested?” Uncertainty returned to Maura’s voice.

“What, besides being your perfect, sexy self?” Jane chuckled lightly but then stopped when she saw Maura frown at her. “It happens sometimes. I had a massive crush on you before you started tutoring me in high school…” her voice trailed off.

“And look where that got us…” Maura’s frown turned into a smile. She could feel her cheeks warm up because she also had a crush on Jane before they had officially met. Jane’s arms tightened around her and she relaxed against the embrace.

They stayed like that, holding each other close for a few moments longer than usual, neither wanting to let go. But then Maura let out a long, heavy sigh as she started to move away from Jane. “I guess I’d better get ready for my afternoon. I’ll try and get everything done so I can be home before dinner. And I can’t wait until this weekend.” She ran a finger along Jane’s cheek, bringing it to rest in the prominent chin dimple she loved so much. Bending down, she placed a quick, yet sensuous kiss to Jane’s lips. 

“Ummmm…” Jane hummed her appreciation. “I have a really good feeling… I think it’s gonna work this time.” She said, meaning every word. When Maura smiled down at her, she could feel the love radiating between them and she knew without a doubt… it was going to finally happen.


	7. Chapter 7

*Hi, I hope this finds everyone well. Thanks for reading and reviewing, it means a great deal to me. As far as my original “Chrome Painted Heart” is concerned, I am so grateful to all of you who have read it. If you are still interested and haven’t had a chance, I will be putting it on sale mid May around the 18-22 so if you are so inclined, please check it out. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next installment of Jane and Maura’s happy family. Take care and thanks for reading. 😊 

Bliss Like This  
7

Jane paced back and forth in the bathroom trying not to look at the three sticks laid out on the counter in a neat row, waiting to reveal what she already suspected. She was alone, opting not to tell Maura just yet and she was beginning to have second thoughts as a wave of nausea washed over her. Closing her eyes as she stopped pacing, she grabbed the edge of the counter and waited for the feeling to pass and when it didn’t, she let out a heavy sigh of regret, knowing that she needed Maura to be there with her. Without opening her eyes, she turned away from the three sticks, each mocking her in its own way and slipped from the bathroom without looking at them. She pulled her phone from her pocket and texted Maura with shaky fingers. Another wave of nausea threatened to knock her over when the realization hit her that she would have to admit what she had done, but it was too late for regrets as she hit the send button and sent the message.

“I need you to come home.” The words slid across the screen in the light blue bubble that indicated it had been sent. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she did her best to stay the tears that stung at the corners of her eyes as she watched three little dots appear indicating that Maura was typing out a reply. 

“Is something wrong?” Came Maura’s text, rather quickly.

“Just please come home…” Jane texted but then paused, adding “I need you.” Before hitting send. 

“I’ll be home in twenty minutes...” Maura answered back without further question and it caused Jane to smile. Dropping down on their bed, she decided to rest her eyes, hoping the sick feeling would pass. As she snuggled against the pillow, her nausea finally subsided, and she fell asleep.

The dip of the bed roused Jane from her nap, followed by the feeling of someone running their fingers through her tangle of dark hair. She knew who it was without opening her eyes and she fought against the heaviness holding her eyelids shut, but eventually, she was able to slowly blink them open to find Maura looking down on her with concern and uncertainty. The black scrubs indicated that Maura had left in a hurry and hadn’t bothered to change back into her regular clothes, and it made Jane’s heart swell with happiness that Maura had dropped everything to be with her… even if she wasn’t sure what was going on. 

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” Maura’s voice held a soft lilt to it as if she didn’t want to disturb the stillness that had settled around them.

“I did something I shouldn’t have.” Jane dropped her gaze from Maura’s penetrating hazel-green eyes.

Pulling her fingers away from Jane’s hair, Maura sat up straighter and put some distance between them. “O-k-ay…” she drew the word out on an unsteady breath. She had no idea what Jane could be referring to but for some reason, her heart stuttered at the possibilities.

Jane felt the distance the second that Maura pulled away and sat up, so they were now only inches apart. “I took a pregnancy test…or maybe three…” her voice faltered. “But I haven’t looked at the results yet.” She added quickly.

The shock on Maura’s face said everything she didn’t need to. Shaking her head sadly, she reached up to rub her forehead to try and smooth away the impending headache that pricked at the backs of her eyes. She wasn’t sure what she should say or what   
Jane needed to hear but it was obvious by the frown on her face and the crease in her brow that she was hurt. “Why would you do that… without me?” The question was punctuated by a tilt of her head as she bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from saying anything she might regret.

“Well, um… I didn’t really…” Jane offered her weak argument, but when Maura raised an eyebrow in question, Jane relented. “Okay… I did, but I haven’t looked at the results. I just couldn’t do that without you.”

“You still haven’t told me why…” Maura let out an impatient sigh at Jane’s attempt to explain herself.

“You’ve been working so hard these last few weeks, I just thought I’d do it and…” Jane hesitated. “I mean… I don’t know.” When Maura continued to look at her with uncertainty and skepticism, she let out a heavy breath and coughed nervously to clear her throat. “I was afraid, and I didn’t want you to see me that way.”

The word ‘afraid’ hit Maura like a ton of bricks. She knew how much Jane wanted everyone to think she had no fear. She had been a badass detective who at one time stared down the barrel of a gun without blinking an eye and it was a reputation she strived to keep every day. But here and now… at this moment, Jane seemed to be crippled with a fear that Maura had never seen before. Suddenly all she felt was sympathy and love as she continued to stare into the dark brown eyes that implored her to understand. And she did understand but it didn’t make what Jane had done any less painful. Reaching out, she placed an open palm against Jane’s cheek and tried to smile. “What are you afraid of?” She had to ask.

Taking a deep breath, Jane held it for a few seconds before letting it out slowly as all her fears threatened to burst from the wall she had built to keep them at bay. She shook her head as she tried to find the words, but they wouldn’t come… only silence as the tears began to roll down her cheeks.

“Oh, honey…” Maura wrapped her arms around Jane’s shaking body and pulled her close. “Please, talk to me.” She sighed against the dark head her chin rested on as Jane pressed her tear-stained face to the hollow of Maura’s throat.

“If it’s positive, there’s no going back…” Jane murmured against the warm skin she now rested against.

The vibration of Jane’s words reverberated throughout Maura’s body as she tried to think of what to say next. “But I thought this is what you wanted…” she couldn’t help saying the one thing she wasn’t sure she should say.

“I do want this.” Jane hiccupped as she tried to slow down the tears. “I really do, but I’m terrified Maur… what if I don’t do the right thing… what if I hurt the baby… what if I don’t get enough sleep… eat the right things… there is so much that can go wrong. What I’m no good at it?” 

The rush of words came out without a pause and it made Maura’s head spin. She had no idea that Jane was feeling any of these things and guilt rushed over her, making her skin prick with heat and shame. “I had no idea…” she continued to hold Jane close. 

“If it’s positive, there’s no going back. Are you sure you trust me to do this right? What if I suck at it?” Jane asked as she wiped at her face with the palm of her hand.

“First of all… you have never sucked at anything in your life so there’s that…” Maura said as she began to rub Jane’s back to soothe her. “And secondly, I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone but you. I can’t promise that everything will be fine, but I will be beside you every step of the way… no matter what.”

Jane pulled back so she could look Maura in the eyes and offered a tentative smile to let her know everything was okay. “I guess I just freaked out a little… sorry.”

“Don’t you ever apologize for being honest with me. When I married you, I promised to stand by you through thick and thin. No matter what happens, I will always be here for you.” Maura paused to run her finger down Jane’s cheek until it came to rest in the chin dimple she loved so much. “You don’t always have to be the brave one, ya know. Let me try it on for size sometimes.” She smiled before she leaned in to press her lips to Jane’s. The kiss was soft and gentle as if Maura was offering comfort and solace instead of the usual heat and sensuality that sparked between them.

Jane accepted Maura’s offer with a soft sigh before pulling back so she could lean her forehead against Maura’s. “I love you so much.” She said with a genuine smile, the fear and uncertainty finally pushed aside for the moment. 

“I love you, too. Now, how about we…” Maura hitched her thumb towards the bathroom door to indicate what she was talking about.

“I guess now’s as good a time as any.” 

“You want to go first?” Maura asked.

“No, I meant it when I said I needed you here. We need to do this together.” Jane nodded her resolve.

“Okay then…” Maura said as she pushed herself up from the bed, grabbing Jane’s hand to help pull her up as well. “Let’s do this.”

As they made their way to the bathroom, Maura held tightly to Jane’s hand afraid that her legs might be too shaky beneath her. It wasn’t fear that made her feel weak, but anticipation and Jane’s realization that there was no going back. She could feel Jane next to her and did her best to offer her strength, or what she had left as she opened the bathroom door. She looked in and saw the three white sticks laid out on the counter then turned to Jane with a crooked grin. “You took three tests?”

Jane nodded emphatically in response. “One has a smiley face, one has a plus, and one has two lines… I just wanted to make sure.”

“You know I could have just given you a blood test.” Maura offered.

“What? You know I hate needles.” Jane looked horrified. 

“I do…” Maura said, not ready to remind Jane that she would probably encounter a few needles over nine months of pregnancy. “Are you ready?”

Holding on to Maura’s hand tighter, Jane nodded again but her voice was shaky as she said: “No”, followed by a quick “Yeah”. 

Slowly, they crept into the bathroom, hand in hand before stopping in front of the three sticks. Taking a deep breath to brace herself, Maura looked down and then smiled. She glanced over at Jane to see if she had seen the same thing, but Jane had a hand in front of her eyes, her fingers splayed slightly apart so Maura could see one dark, brown eye peering at her with uncertainty. Her smile widened causing Jane to drop her hand from her eyes and then they widened in wonder replacing the uncertainty that had lingered since Maura had arrived. 

“Really…?” Jane whispered.

“We’re going to have a baby.” Maura let go of Jane’s hand and pulled her into a hug. She had worried that it might take them longer because Jane had never really had regular periods and trying to pinpoint the time of ovulation might be harder than anticipated. But here they were, after their second try… a smiley face, plus, and two lines provided the proof. Pulling back, she looked down at Jane’s abdomen and placed the palm of her hand there. “Our little bean is in there…” she marveled. 

When Jane placed her hand over Maura’s, they looked at each other and smiled. The fear and uncertainty that had ruled Jane’s mind was suddenly gone, replaced with happiness, anticipation, and so much love she thought she might burst. “We’re gonna have a baby.” She echoed Maura’s earlier words. “What do we do next?” 

“Well…” Maura looked back down at where their hands rested, a huge smile stuck on her face. “We’ll have to make an appointment with Linda for some blood tests…” she started to say but then ducked her head slightly when she saw Jane’s bottom lip poke out in a pout. “Sorry, honey but it has to be done.” She reached up to touch Jane on the cheek to offer comfort. “And…” she hesitated briefly before deciding she needed to say what she was about to say. “I think we need to keep this between us, at least for a little while.”

Taking a deep breath, Jane pushed her dark hair away from her face and nodded her agreement. “I know, but it’s gonna be hard to keep it from my Ma. You know how she is.”

Maura was thoughtful for a moment but her resolve to keep it quiet for a while was strong. “I know but I really think it’s for the best.”

“I agree…” Jane sighed as she wrapped her arms around Maura and pulled her close so she could rest her chin on the top of Maura’s head. “Do you have to go back to work?” She asked with a touch of sadness in her voice.

“Absolutely not.” Maura snuggled her cheek against the hallow of Jane’s throat. “It’s not every day you get a smiley face, plus, and two lines…” she laughed lightly when Jane gave her side a gentle pinch. “How about we celebrate with some Nemo’s Pizza and a family movie night?”

“Sounds good, add a cold beer to that and I’m sold…” Jane started to say but was stunned silent when Maura pulled back and gave her a stern look.

“No beer… not for the next nine months… or longer, if you breastfeed.” 

Rolling her eyes, Jane nodded her understanding. “Oh, yeah… I forgot.” Her voice was heavy with defeat. “This sucks…” she sighed.

“And none of that greasy, nitrate filled meat on the pizza either. It’s going to have veggies on it like mushrooms and spinach…” Maura explained.

“It’s a pizza, Maur… not a salad.” Jane couldn’t help but huff impatiently.

“Oh, thanks for reminding me. I’ll order a Greek salad to go with it. Valley loves the olives.” 

Scowling, Jane couldn’t help but shake her head. “As long as the pizza doesn’t have anything stupid on it like pineapple.” She said, knowing full well that she was starting their age-old argument on whether fruit belonged on pizza.

“Oh no, you don’t…” Maura glared up at Jane, a playful twinkle in her eyes. “I can’t help it that pineapple and ham on pizza is just too advanced for your palate.”

“Alright, I’ll let you order the veggie pizza with mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, and black olives for Valley… and if you’re really good, I might even let you get those little artichoke hearts on it that you love so much… but there will be no fruit. Can we agree on that?”

Maura was quiet as she bit down on her bottom lip and thought over Jane’s offer. “Okay, but only if you agree to eat some salad too.”

“Yes…” Jane relented with an exasperated sigh. She knew things would have to change, especially her diet, it was just something she would have to get used to.

“I’ll stop by the pharmacy and pick up your prenatal vitamins when I head out to pick Valley up.”

“I can pick Valley up.” Jane seemed surprised by Maura’s offer. She was usually the one to pick her up since she was usually done with her classes before Valley got out at three. 

“I’m home for the rest of the day and I want you to rest.” Maura started to give Jane a gentle push towards their bedroom.

“Look…” Jane held her hands up and anchored herself to the floor, refusing to give in to Maura’s gentle push. “I’m not an invalid. I can pick our daughter up from school like I do most days.” She frowned at Maura who seemed surprised by her outburst.

For a moment, silence was the only thing that filled the room but then Maura nervously cleared her throat. “Sorry… just being protective.” She held her hands up in surrender. “But I can’t help it. I just want to take care of you and the little bean…” 

“I get that, babe… but if you smother me…” Jane rolled her eyes dramatically to emphasize her next words. “It won’t go well for either of us.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best not to be overprotective, but I can’t promise that I won’t be...” Maura paused as she tried to think of a word to finish her thought. “Cautious…” she offered, and it caused Jane to laugh.

“Okay, but remember… I’m not breakable or weak.” Jane said the last word with conviction. She hated for anyone to think she was weak, especially Maura. But she also knew that everything Maura did came from a place of love, not a need to control. 

“Alright then, how about if you take a little nap while I take a shower and then we can go pick Valley up together.” 

“I’ve got a better idea…” Jane said as she grabbed Maura by the waist and pulled until their bodies were close. “How about we take a shower together.” She said as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“And so, it begins…” Maura laughed as she lifted her arms to allow Jane to pull her black scrubs up and over her head. She watched as Jane wiggled out of her shorts and t-shirt, a sudden feeling of awe washing over her knowing that Jane’s body was going to be changing as their baby grew. It was something that excited her, in more ways than one and her heart stuttered at how much love she was feeling as she allowed Jane to pull her into the shower. Maura couldn’t help but think that things were about to get very different but in a very wonderful way.

***

“I can’t believe we have to have everyone over for a brunch today.” Jane groaned snuggling closer to Maura as they lazed around in bed on a Sunday morning. She shifted her hips, so Valley wasn’t kneeing her in the back as the toddler yawned and stretched alongside her. “I thought we were going to stop letting her sleep with us.” She whispered to Maura, hoping her words didn’t carry to the other side of the bed.

“She didn’t sleep with us.” Maura tried to defend her decision to let Valley climb in bed with them early that morning. “She waited until the sun came up.”

“Only just…” Jane yawned and stretched just as Valley had.

“Mama… you a bed hog.” Valley wiggled in the small space between the edge of the bed and Jane’s body.

“I’m a bed hog?” Jane rolled over and grabbed the little body in her arms, rolling them over until Valley was between her and Maura. “If anyone’s a bed hog, it’s your Mommy. Look at how much room she has…” she pointed out the large space Maura had between her and the edge of the bed.

Valley giggled and nodded her agreement. “Mommy is the bed hog, not us.” She laughed even harder when Jane began to tickle her, her arms and legs flailing about as she tried to gain control. 

“Valley… stop…” Maura’s sat up, her voice stern and filled with an urgency neither Jane nor Valley recognized. She tried to grab Valley and stop her from accidentally kicking Jane, but Valley mistook Maura’s actions for playing and only thrashed harder. “Stop it!” This time there was no mistaking the desperate anger in Maura’s voice.  
“  
I sorry, Mommy…” Valley sucked in her bottom lip as tears welled up in her eyes and she went still, dropping her arms and legs like a puppet whose strings had been untied.

“Maur?” Jane wrapped her arms around Valley and pulled her close to quell the tears that threatened to come. 

Letting out a heavy sigh, Maura dropped her head into her hands before running her fingers through her hair, pushing it back away from her face. “I’m sorry, but we have to be careful. If she had kicked you… it might hurt…” she hesitated as she reached out and touched Jane on the stomach. Gaining some semblance of composure and control over her emotions, she sat up straighter and nodded her acknowledgment of having over-reacted. “We just need to be careful.” She offered.

“Are you mad at me, Mommy?” Valley asked, her eyes wide as she tried not to cry.

“Oh, no…” Maura opened her arms as an invitation to Valley. “Come here.” 

Valley gave Jane an uncertain look before getting a reassuring smile to let her know that everything was okay. “Otay…” she pushed away from Jane and lept into Maura’s arms. 

Valley’s leap from Jane into Maura’s arms wasn’t very graceful which was why Maura gave Jane a look that said, “See what I mean.” Jane rolled her eyes in response but also knew that Maura was right. They needed to be careful now. No more roughhousing like before, but then how would they explain it to Valley in a way that she would understand, not to mention keep it a secret.

“I sorry, Mommy…” Valley allowed Maura to hold her close. Wrapping a finger around a strand of Maura’s hair, she wiggled closer. “Was I too loud?” She asked, unsure why her Mommy had gotten angry.

“No, honey… we just have to be careful around your Mama.” Maura said with a tired sigh.

“Why? Is she sick?” Valley’s wide eyes turned to Jane who just quickly shook her head.

“No, I’m not sick.” Jane pushed herself up so she could sit crossed legged, facing Valley and Maura. She raised an eyebrow in question at Maura, silently asking how they were going to handle this.

Jane was six weeks pregnant and Maura wasn’t ready to broadcast it to everyone in the family. She had hoped that with the birth of Carly and Ryan’s second daughter, the spotlight would not be on them. And things had been quiet as of late, but with everyone coming over to celebrate Frankie and Steph’s engagement… that spotlight was about to shine down on them as bright as ever. It would be difficult to hide the nausea that Jane had been dealing with each time she ate. Angela would surely notice when Jane didn’t go straight for the food and fill a plate, in fact, everyone probably would. The feeling of Valley moving around on her lap pulled her from her thoughts and she realized they would have to let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, and hope that Valley could keep the secret for a little while longer.

“Mama is growing a baby…” Maura said as she reached out to touch Jane’s abdomen. “Here…” she placed her hand over the spot just above Jane’s boxer shorts.

Valley’s eyes got wide and her mouth turned into an ‘O’ as the words sunk in. “Mama is gonna have a baby?” She asked, watching as Jane placed her hand over Maura’s, interlacing their fingers. “Can I see it?” 

“No, not yet…” Maura gave Jane a soft smile and laughed. 

“Why?” Valley asked as she tentatively reached out to touch Jane and Maura’s hands.

Clearing her throat nervously, Maura wasn’t sure exactly how to answer the question in a way that Valley could understand. She looked to Jane for help but got a smug smirk as an answer. She had no idea what to say but then an idea came to her. “You know how when Mommy bakes cookies and we leave them in the oven until they are done… it’s kind of the same with Mama.” She offered as an explanation.

Valley was quiet as she thought about what Maura had said. “You mean if the baby comes out too soon it will be squishy and not crunchy?” She asked, confusion all over her face.

“What? No, I mean…” Maura shrugged. Clearly, in over her head, she turned to Jane seeking help again. 

“I confused…” Valley shook her head. 

“Okay, kiddo…” Jane reached out to take Valley into her lap. When Maura gave her a hesitant look, she smiled reassuringly at her. “Yes, I have a baby in here…” she pointed at her abdomen. “And it’s very little, like about the size of a Mexican jumping bean.” This got a giggle from Valley and a raised eyebrow from Maura. “But we won’t be able to see the baby until it grows bigger. And when that happens, you’ll be a big sister.” This statement got Valley’s attention and she forgot everything before hearing she was going to become a big sister. It was a very effective tactic and Maura gave Jane an understanding smile filled with appraisal. 

“I gonna be a big sister?” Valley asked, opening her arms wide to emphasize the word ‘big’.

“Yep… and you’re going to be the best big sister ever!” Maura cheered. “But we have to keep it a secret for a little while. Can you do that?”

Valley was quiet as she bit down on her lip and thought about what Maura had asked. “I can’t tell Nona or Gigi?” She asked with a frown on her face.

“Not yet, but soon.” Jane offered.

“Why?” Tears were beginning to pool in Valley’s dark brown eyes again. 

“We don’t want to take Uncle Frankie’s special day away from him, do we?” Jane asked as she began to run her fingers through Valley’s honey-blonde hair, tucking a few strands behind her ear. 

“No, I guess not.” Valley nodded sagely as if she understood. “Can I tell Nona and Gigi tomorrow then?”

“Maybe…” Maura tried to find a compromise even though she wasn’t ready to share the news, but maybe if it was regulated only their mothers. “Now…” she jumped out of bed and reached for Valley. “Let’s go find something for you to wear to the party today.” When Valley eyed her skeptically, Maura relented. “Okay, I’ll let you pick anything you want.” This statement got Valley moving quickly, but instead of letting Maura carry her, she took off towards her bedroom at a full run. “I think I might regret this…” she gave Jane an eye-roll.

“I think it was a good compromise…” Jane laughed. “But, yeah… you’re totally gonna regret it.” 

***

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you this morning, but you were great with Valley. I can’t believe you were able to distract her from the questions and answers I was completely screwing up.” Maura leaned close to Jane and whispered in her ear.

The feeling of Maura’s warm breath against her skin caused her shiver and she turned to give Maura a dazzling smile showing off her dimples. “I know… I could see you struggling. Plus, I’m the oldest sibling, so I kinda know how to distract someone… with brothers like those…” she tilted her head towards Frankie and then Tommy who were both enjoying their beers and food. “But I think maybe we need to get a book or something to explain everything. I don’t think I can wiggle out of her persistent questioning all the time. Sometimes she’s worse than a detective.”

“She gets her inquisitive side from you.” Maura pressed a finger against Jane’s chest. 

“Hey, don’t point that finger unless you’re ready to use it…” Jane smirked and wiggled her eyebrows.

“Feeling better?” Maura’s voice was laced with concern. Jane’s nausea had been bad, bad enough for her to prescribe something so she could get through her meals lately. 

“I am, but when is this going to pass. I’m looking forward to the cravings and eating whatever I want.”

“Well, you can’t eat whatever you want… but usually by the second trimester… I hope.” Maura bit her lip again as she thought about what Jane had asked. She wasn’t sure how long it would take for Jane to feel better, but she hoped soon. She hadn’t eaten much lately, and it worried her that Jane might not be getting the nutrients and calories she needed.

“I can and will eat whatever I want.” Jane pouted.

“Okay, we'll put a pin in that and revisit it later.” Maura gave Jane a quick kiss to the cheek. “Your mother is watching us. I’m going to go check on the caterer.”

Jane nodded as Maura left, her eyes falling on her mother who watched from across the room with a frown on her face. She tried to smile that same dazzling smile that showcased her dimples, the same ones that Frankie had but her mother wasn’t buying it.   
The look of concentration that stared back at her caused her to squirm but then it was interrupted by Valley wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging her tightly. 

“This okay, Mama… not too hard…” Valley asked as she looked up at Jane and continued to hang on to her legs. 

“Just right.” Jane smiled down at Valley. The sight of her daughter in overalls, a tutu, and a backwards baseball cap made her laugh and she knew that Maura had regretted letting her pick her outfit, although Jane didn’t think it was that bad. Valley obviously wasn’t going to become a fashion diva anytime soon. As her thoughts drifted to Valley’s choice in clothing, she started to relax a little, but when Valley placed a kiss to her middle, she quickly looked up to find her mother watching them, a slow smile spreading across her face. 

“I kiss the baby…” Valley whispered as she hugged Jane tighter.

Jane’s heart melted at Valley’s gesture. “You’re gonna make an awesome big sister.” She bent down and whispered in Valley’s ear, causing the little girl to giggle. “But remember… it’s a secret.”

Valley stood up straighter and nodded her understanding. “I keep it secret, Mama… promise.” She said just before Noah raced past her with her Buzz Lightyear toy, beckoning her to follow. But before she did, she looked up at Jane and blinked her eyes in an exaggerated way that could only be construed as her attempt at a wink. Jane winked back at her and it caused Valley to giggle again but this time in a conspiratorially way before taking off after Noah and Joe Friday who sat at the back door looking in, waiting for the toddlers to join her outside.

Jane waved at Valley as she and Noah disappeared out the screen door into the backyard where Joe Friday barked and raced around their feet in excitement. Cautiously, she glanced over at her mother who was watching her with the measured precision of someone who was clearly trying to figure something out and she braced herself for the whirlwind of questions her mother would surely bring down on her. But instead of making a beeline for Jane, Angela winked knowingly before going back to her conversation with Steph and her parents. To her surprise, Jane found herself standing alone in a room full of people and suddenly she was grateful because her nausea had returned like clockwork, exactly twenty minutes from the last time she ate. As the idea of disappearing to their bedroom seemed more and more promising with each passing minute, the feeling of someone sidling up alongside her caused her to curse quietly under her breath. Taking a deep breath to quell the sickness that threatened to overtake her, she turned to find Frankie with a huge grin on his flushed face. But then the smile dropped, and his dark eyes filled with concern as he looked her over, not sure if he liked what he was seeing.

“Hey, you okay? You look a little pale.” He asked, his voice laced with concern. 

“Yeah, just tired. It’s been a busy weekend…” she tried to roll her eyes dramatically to let him know she was talking about the party they were throwing for him and Steph, not to mention getting the boat ready for their romantic evening the night before. 

Giving her a skeptical look, he then nodded his head in acceptance of the excuse she offered. “Yeah, about that…” he ducked his head shyly. “Thanks… you and Maura went above and beyond. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. It’s really scored me some points on the romance scale.” His smile caused his eyes to twinkle, or maybe it was the alcohol, Jane wasn’t sure.

“No problem little bro.” Jane shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to find the easiest way to make her getaway. “I’m just glad we could help make it special. You and Steph are made for each other. Have you set a date yet?”

“We were thinking, maybe the fall…” Frankie said as his eyes met Steph’s from across the room. 

Jane could see the silent message of love pass between them and it warmed her heart to know that her brother had found someone to love as much as she loved Maura. And then that wave of nausea washed over her again but before she could do anything about it, Tommy appeared by her side with three beers in his hands. 

“Hey, we need to toast the groom to be...” Tommy said as he handed Jane and Frankie each an IPA from their favorite microbrewery.

Jane reluctantly took the beer offered to her, catching Maura’s eye. Maura looked as if she was going to run over to knock the beer from her hand, so she winked to let Maura know she had things under control. She wasn’t really paying attention to what   
Tommy was saying as he toasted Frankie but when she saw them raise their beers, she did the same before clinking them together. Tilting the bottle back, she pretended to take a long, satisfying drink but the moment she caught a whiff of the heavy IPA, it took everything she had to push back the sickness that burned at the back of her throat. She didn’t realize that the color of her skin had gone from pale to pale green, but Tommy did as he looked her up and down with a confused look on his face.

“Hey, you’re looking a little green around the gills. What gives?” He eyed her cautiously as if she might vomit on his new tennis shoes.

“Nothing gives, I just ate too much.” She placed a hand on her stomach and winced as it gurgled. “I think I’m gonna go check on the caterers.” 

Frankie and Tommy exchanged funny looks but nodded their acceptance as she turned on her heel and pushed past them towards the kitchen. There was a small half-bath in the hallway off the kitchen, but she worried it wouldn’t offer enough privacy so she decided to chance it and go to the kitchen where she might find some peace and quiet. She was happy to find that it was empty and let out a sigh of relief as she headed to the sink so she could finally dump the foul-smelling IPA she had once loved. 

Standing over the sink, she concentrated on the glug, glug, glug of the amber liquid as she poured it from the bottle, trying not to feel sick by both the smell and waste of throwing it away. Her nausea slowly subsided as she stood there, watching as her beer disappeared down the drain. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her hair away from her face and set the bottle down on the counter next to the sink before turning around to find her mother standing in the doorway with a Cheshire grin on her face.

“How far along are you?” Angela asked as she stood in the doorway, nervously twisting her hands and watching Jane with wide eyes.

“How did you know?” Jane leaned a hip against the counter and let out a tired sigh.

“Well, you’re three shades greener than a four-leaf clover and you just poured out one of those mini brew beers you love so much.”

“Microbrew, Ma…” Jane’s voice trailed off. There was no use pretending at this point, so she blew out a frustrated huff. “Six weeks…” she finally admitted.

Angela was hesitant as she stepped closer to Jane as if she were afraid that Jane would bolt away like a scared rabbit if she approached too quickly. “Wow, six weeks.” She took another step closer and nodded in wonder. “I understand, ya know.”

“Understand what, Ma?” Jane was still frustrated, and she couldn’t hide it in her voice.

“Your father and I waited until I was ten weeks to tell the family. I understand that you aren’t ready to tell everyone…” Angela’s voice trailed off as she took another step closer to Jane. Opening her arms, she silently offered her comfort and understanding and was almost surprised when Jane threw herself at her. Wrapping her arms around her daughter, she held Jane close and rocked her back and forth like she had when Jane was little. 

“I’m so scared, Ma…” Jane cried against Angela’s shoulder where she rested her cheek. 

“Oh, honey… this is wonderful news. It’s okay to be scared, though.” Angela pulled back so she could look at Jane. “It’s perfectly normal to be scared. I’d be worried if you weren’t.”

“What if I screw this up?” Jane allowed her mother to wipe away her tears as she tried to catch her breath.

“You won’t screw this up. You’re a wonderful mother to Valley… it won’t be any different. Trust me, I’ve done it three times.” 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Jane chuckled lightly as her tears subsided. “Maura and I don’t want to tell everyone until the ten-week mark, ya know… so please don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t. But I can’t believe you thought you could keep something like this from me. I know you too well.” Angela gave Jane’s side a gentle pinch, causing her to laugh again.

“How did you figure it out?”

“You’ve been out of sorts lately. You’re not eating like you usually do, and sometimes you look flushed and then pale… and then there are the three shades of green you turned after your brothers gave you that beer.” Angela pointed at the bottle on the counter.

“Um… I didn’t drink any, but the smell made me feel sick.” Jane dropped her arms from their hug and shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants.

“It would have been fine if you’d had a sip or two… I used to have a glass of red wine here and there when I was pregnant with you and Frankie.” Angela waved away Jane’s concern.

“So that’s what’s wrong with us.” Jane teased.

“Look, I know things have changed but… hey… one sip wouldn’t hurt you or the baby.” Angela said before her eyes got really wide. “The baby…” she whispered as she reached out to touch Jane’s middle. “I saw Valley kiss you here…” she touched just above Jane’s belly button. “That’s when I knew my suspicions were right.”

“We told her this morning and boy, was she full of questions that even Maura couldn’t answer. You’re not mad we told her before you, are you?”

“Although I’m a little hurt…” Angela gave Jane’s middle a gentle pat. “I’m not mad. And as far as Valley is concerned, I knew she would be as inquisitive as her Mommies are, so I got a book that explains everything.”

“A book?” Jane seemed pleasantly surprised that her mother had taken the initiative. 

“Constance told me about it, so we ordered it from the LGBT bookstore downtown. It should be here next week.” A proud smile slide across Angela’s face. 

“Wow, Ma… that’s great. Thanks.” Jane smiled back at her mother. “I was beginning to worry about it. Maura and I were really struggling with this…”

“Struggling with what?” Maura’s voice interrupted Jane and Angela’s conversation.

“Um…” Jane stuttered slightly. 

“I know the secret…” Angela came to Jane’s rescue.

“I figured it wouldn’t take you long.” Maura smiled. “But what are we struggling with?” She turned her attention to Jane, afraid that Jane was struggling with the fact that she was now pregnant.

“We’ve been struggling with explaining things to Valley.” 

“Oh…” Maura nodded in relief. “Yes, we have. I’m not sure how to explain it to her without getting too technical.”

“Your mother and I bought a book that might help.” Angela offered a resolution.

“Really?” Maura seemed surprised.

“We did and it will be here next week.”

“How thoughtful.” Maura smiled and reached out to give Angela’s hand a gentle squeeze to illustrate how sincere she was being. “So, you know about…” she waved a hand at Jane as a goofy grin spread across her face.

“I do, and I promise not to tell anyone until you’re ready to...” Angela said. “But please, tell your mother so I have someone to talk to about it… or…” she hesitated. “I just might bust with excitement.”

“How about we have dinner together next week when she gets back from Paris?” Maura had already planned to have them both over to share the news. Her attention was suddenly on Jane when she heard a heavy sigh and looked over to see that Jane was slightly pale again. “You’re feeling nauseous again?” Jane’s answer was a slow nod. “How about a cup of tea?”

“Peppermint always worked for me when I was feeling nauseous…” Angela said as she started to dig through the pantry in search of the peppermint tea she knew was there.

“I’m so sorry you don’t feel good.” Maura wrapped her arms around Jane and pulled her close. “I wish there was something I could do to make it all better.”

“I didn’t start to feel better until around the ten-week mark and then…” Angela turned and gave Jane and Maura a saucy wink. “I was insatiable… and the sex… wow…”

“Ma!” Jane chastised her mother. “Please, control yourself.”

“You just wait…” Angela glanced over her shoulder at Maura and gave her knowing smile, causing Maura to laugh.

“I told you…” Maura whispered in Jane’s ear, causing Jane to blush. 

“I am not having this conversation while my mother is standing five feet away from us.” Jane frowned as she rested her chin on Maura’s head. 

When Angela found the peppermint tea, she filled a mug with water and placed it in the microwave. After setting the timer, she turned to find Jane and Maura holding each other close and the feeling of anticipation washed over. She couldn’t wait to welcome her grandchild into their little, close-nit family. Watching Jane and Maura, she realized how much love surrounded them, filling their home and touching everyone they knew. Her heart filled with joy as she quietly slipped from the kitchen, leaving Jane and Maura to share a private moment before the flood gates opened as the celebrations continued to carry on around them.


	8. Chapter 8

*Hi everyone, I am at a loss for words tonight, so I will make this short. Please be advised of the change in rating as this chapter contains over 18 material. As always, thank you all so much for your support here and with my original on Amazon. If you would like to correspond with me or have any questions, please private message me and we can share emails. Please stay safe… G.H. 

Bliss Like This

8

Iridescent ribbons of light slipped in through the half-closed blinds of Jane and Maura’s bedroom, painting their bed with soft stripes that glowed in between dim shadows of the early morning. It was already warm outside even though the sun was hidden behind a curtain of white clouds causing the sky to emit a brightness that made it look cooler than it was. The warmth that filled their room was the reason that Maura’s eyes fluttered open, or perhaps it was the feeling of Jane pushing the sheet that was once wrapped around them to the end of the bed leaving them both exposed to the soft current that filled the room from the ceiling fan that circled above them, slowly stirring the warm air around the room. 

With a yawn and gentle stretch, Maura slowly opened her eyes to find herself looking up at the fan as it made lazy circles, humming softly in a way that comforted her. They hadn’t turned the air conditioner on yet and she was now beginning to think it was time because even with the fan on, the air was heavy and thick around them. Turning on her side, Maura found herself face to face with Jane who was still sleeping, her dark hair splayed across the pillow her head rested on. A smile creased Maura’s lips as her eyes traced over Jane’s uncovered body. Jane’s tank top had ridden up and over the small baby bump that was now showing and the sight before her almost brought tears to Maura’s eyes. As she lay there, counting the ways Jane’s body was changing, her fingers itched to feel the soft, smooth skin along the hip covered in rainbow boy shorts but she stopped herself so she could continue to marvel in silence. 

They had reached the twelve-week mark and Jane’s nausea had finally subsided to be replaced with an appetite to rival the appetite she’d had previously, except now she was craving things she’d never wanted before. With a soft sigh, Maura rolled her eyes at the thought of Jane’s new cravings. Some she could understand like salt and vinegar pringles, virgin margaritas, and chicken wings but some made her cringe like instant mashed potatoes with syrup and Taco Bell. Anything from Taco Bell could make Jane’s eyes shine with excitement but especially the hot sauce. And then there was the fact that Jane would put the hot sauce on anything, including cantaloupe and that thought alone made Maura scrunch up her nose and make a face of disgust to rival the one Jane made when she was asked to eat salad, something she covered in Taco Bell hot sauce these days. But the hardest thing Jane had had to give up was the beer. She craved it now more than ever and had made Maura promise to buy her a six-pack of ice-cold   
Bud Light as soon as this was all over. And Maura had promised even though Jane hated Bud Light.

As Maura continued to watch Jane sleep, the need to reach out and touch her was almost overwhelming. Jane’s body had changed so much over the past few weeks, something that Maura had noticed. The hard, lean muscles that once defined Jane’s abdomen were now soft and supple under Maura’s hands when she touched Jane. The little pouch that made its appearance a week ago continued to grow much to Maura’s wonder. But that wasn’t the only thing growing bigger. The rise and fall of Jane’s chest as she slept drew Maura’s attention to the enhanced cleavage that spilled over the tank top that was struggling to contain Jane’s breasts. Maura had always considered Jane’s breast to be one of her best attributes, in fact, she thought they were fabulous... but now, full and bigger than before, the only word that came to mind was voluptuous. Jane now had a killer hourglass figure to marvel Marylyn Monroe and as Maura lay there allowing her eyes to drink in every soft, full curve, her resolve to let Jane sleep was began to crack. And when she couldn’t take the longing that had settled in the pit of her stomach any longer, she reached out to run the backs of her fingers along Jane’s cheek and was rewarded with a soft smile.

“I was wondering when you were going to touch me…” Jane whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

“You’ve been awake this whole time?” Maura asked as her fingers continued to move down to trace the outline of Jane’s jaw.

“I have.” Jane smiled playfully as she reached for Maura’s wandering hand so she could place a light kiss along her knuckles. Her playful smile turned serious when she noticed the green of Maura’s eyes darken with desire. 

Leaning into Jane so their lips were almost touching, Maura brought their joined hands up so she could touch Jane’s face again. “I’ve always thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world, but today… you’ve taken my breath away.” She whispered against Jane’s slightly parted lips. “I’ve been watching you all morning, trying so hard not to wake you up. And now I find out you’ve been awake this whole time. Do you know how hard it’s been not to touch you…?” A pout appeared on Maura’s lips as she pulled back to look Jane in the eyes. 

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you to do just that?”

“Well…” Maura smiled as she leaned into Jane again bringing their lips together in a long, slow kiss that caused her stomach to tighten with anticipation. “I think we should do something about it, don’t you?” She asked with a raised eyebrow as she rolled over on to her back, pulling Jane with her until she felt the weight of Jane’s body on top of hers. Her eyes widened as Jane hovered over her showing her the deep cleavage.

“You like what you see?” Jane teased when she saw Maura’s eyes go directly to her now ample chest. Licking her lips, Maura nodded enthusiastically as she looked up at Jane’s face then back down to where her hands itched to be. With a playful smirk on her face, Jane shifted her weight to straddle the hips beneath hers so she could sit up and look down on Maura. “You wanna touch?” She asked as she cupped her breasts, lifting and squeezing them at the same time.

“You’re teasing me…” Maura bit her bottom lip as she waited for Jane’s permission to touch.

Running her thumb over the ribbed material of her tank top covering her now hardened nipple, Jane let out a long, slow sigh. Her thighs began to shake with the wave of pleasure that rolled over her causing her eyes to flutter shut as she arched her back, pressing her center against Maura’s. The unexpected movement made them both gasp as Maura reached up to grab Jane’s hips to hold her in place, so she didn’t topple over. 

“Oh my God… I’m so sensitive.” Jane’s voice was low and husky. “And these…” she squeezed her breasts again to emphasize what she was talking about. “They’re huge.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed.” Maura tried not to smirk as she watched Jane touch herself. “You have no idea how hot you are at the moment, do you…” her voice trailed off as she watched Jane reach for the hem of the tank top she was wearing before pulling it off to expose herself to Maura’s smoldering eyes. “Strike that…” she said in a hoarse voice, taking in every inch of bare skin before her. “You are so fucking hot right now I’m afraid if I touch you, I’ll burn myself.”

“Are you telling me you’d rather watch?” Jane raised an eyebrow in question as her hands moved up to her breasts again, but this time she twisted and pinched her nipples into hard peaks with a small smirk on her lips.

Maura flexed her hands against Jane’s hips, pressing her fingers into the hot skin above the waistband of the boy shorts Jane was still wearing. “I’ll take my chances…” her voice was strained with the need she was trying to control. 

“You sure?” Jane asked as her hands moved down to cover Maura’s. She didn’t wait for an answer as she dragged those hands up and over her ribs until they rested just below her breasts. 

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my whole life…” the words came out on a breathless whisper as Maura moved her hands higher. And when she touched the underside of Jane’s breasts, she let out a shaky sigh and her eyes fluttered shut at the unfamiliar weight she now held in her palms. When she opened her eyes again, she was met with a dimpled smile as Jane pressed herself further into Maura’s touch by arching her back. Moving higher, she gave a gentle yet firm squeeze causing Jane’s breath to quicken.   
She could feel the dark hair that cascaded over Jane’s shoulder’s in soft curls brush against her knuckles as she began to knead and rub her palms against hardened nipples. When Jane flipped her hair over her shoulder, Maura was surprised by her disappointment. But it didn’t last long because the feeling of Jane grinding against her, slow and with purpose spurred her to sit up and replace her hands with her mouth.

The sudden shift of Maura’s body caused Jane to gasp in surprise, but the feeling of being enveloped in a hot, wet mouth almost pushed her over the edge. “Oh shit, Maur…” she groaned as she twisted her finger’s in honey-blonde locks to ensure Maura didn’t move away. “You’re going to make me come too fast…” her body stiffened, and she panted as Maura’s tongue grazed over an overly sensitive bud. Her whole body was on sensation overload that even the feeling of Maura’s silky hair slipping through her fingers as she continued to hold on was threatening to push her past her brink. But then the feeling of being released from Maura’s mouth gave her a reprieve and a warmth traveled over her skin where their bodies touched as Maura nuzzled the breast closest to her.

“We can’t have that now, can we?” Maura whispered as she rubbed her cheek lightly against the puckered flesh her mouth craved to taste again and again. Reeling in her need to spend all morning worshiping the new changes in Jane’s body she moved her mouth higher, dragging her tongue from between the valley of Jane’s breast to the hollow of her throat before nipping lightly at Jane’s jaw. “Tell me what you want…” her voice faltered slightly as she struggled to speak.

When Maura’s mouth moved closer to her own, Jane took the opportunity to press her lips to the ones exploring the line of her jaw. It was just what she wanted, sloppy and demanding as she wrapped her arms around Maura’s neck, holding on tightly as their bodies pressed even closer together. Her mouth opened to welcome the tongue seeking her own, tentatively at first but then more forcefully when she moaned at its velvety softness caressing her bottom lip. With an urgency she couldn’t control, she grabbed at the satin pajama top Maura was wearing and with shaky hands began to pull at the buttons that kept her from feeling the skin beneath. 

As they continued to kiss, the feeling of Jane tugging roughly at the material of her pajama top surprised Maura. There was something different in the way Jane took control, something exciting and new. And as she pulled her mouth away from Jane’s to help rid herself of the barrier that separated their skin on skin contact, the feeling of Jane’s teeth grazing her bottom lip before nipping gently at it almost took her breath away. So, she grabbed at the front of her top and yanked it open with a force that caused the buttons Jane was struggling with to fly across the room. 

When Jane leaned back to allow her eyes to graze the length of Maura’s now exposed skin a satisfied smirk slid across her lips. “So… fucking… beautiful…” she sighed as she slipped her hands into the open shirt, tracing her fingers along Maura’s ribs causing the muscles to twitch as her hands continued to travel higher. The journey along Maura’s heated skin brought her to the underside of each breast where she brushed the tops of her fingers, drawing a shuttering breath from them both. But she had yet to reach her destination as she continued to explore, cupping each breast with her palms and tracing feather-light circles over each nipple with her thumbs.

Jane’s slow and gentle exploration of her body was paramount to the sweetest torture Maura had ever experienced. The fire that began to grow in the pit of her stomach threatened to rage out of control and the flames that licked at her exposed skin burned in the most pleasurable way. But as Jane’s hands moved higher again, the feeling of her top sliding off her shoulders gave her a reprieve from the heat as her skin was exposed to the early morning air bringing a coolness she hadn’t expected. It was a reprieve that didn’t last long though as the feeling of Jane’s breasts brushing against her own caused her body tremble and she wondered if sparks might emit where their bodies touched. And then her breathless sigh was swallowed when Jane pressed their lips together, her tongue demanding entry to Maura’s mouth. Parting her lips, she relented and welcomed the request with an eagerness that spurred Jane on.

Maura’s breasts pressing against her own wasn’t enough to satisfy the need that threatened to rip what little control Jane was struggling to maintain. The light graze of hardened nipples against her own was driving her crazy and without thinking, she roughly pushed Maura onto her back. The sudden distance surprised them both, but Jane was on a mission.

“Jane?” Maura’s voice faltered slightly as she looked up with wide eyes filled with uncertainty.

“I need more…” Jane frowned at the uncertain look on Maura’s face. It hadn’t been her intention to make Maura question herself.

“Tell me what you need… I’ll give you anything you want…” Maura said breathlessly as she reached up to place her hands along Jane’s hips.

The feeling of Maura’s fingers pressing into the skin at her hips brought about a white-hot pleasure that Jane hadn’t expected as she surged forward, moving higher and higher until her knees were on either side of Maura’s head. She looked down to find   
Maura gazing at her with a mixture of surprise and satisfaction. They’d never done this before, or at least she hadn’t. She had always considered it a vulnerable position; one she enjoyed when Maura was the one on top. But her body was raging for something more, something different and all she could think about was moving her hips over Maura’s mouth the same way Maura did when the tables were turned. All her inhibitions, all the control she struggled to maintain dissolved as lowered herself to find the salvation she knew was waiting for her. And she knew it wouldn’t take long to see the light flare behind her closed eyes as she grabbed the headboard with one hand and a breast in the other to pull and tug at a hardened nipple.

Having Jane move to hover over her was a surprise to Maura, one that was unexpected but welcomed all the same. She had on many occasions turned herself over the pleasure derived from one of her favorite positions, but Jane often struggled with giving herself over completely to the moment. But not today… today Jane knew exactly what she wanted, and she was making sure Maura knew as well. She watched in awe as Jane looked down at her, eyes dark with the most intense desire she had ever seen, silently asking for her to bring an end to sweet agony they both sought relief from. And she had every intention of doing just that as she guided Jane’s center to her waiting mouth.

The first touch of Maura’s tongue caused her hips to surge forward as she gripped the headboard tighter to keep herself from falling over. An all-consuming heat raced over Jane’s skin as Maura continued to press her tongue against her, drawing out small tremors of pleasure as she held her over the edge without letting her go just yet. 

Maura guided Jane’s hips to set a rhythm with slow, lazy strokes of her tongue. She wasn’t willing to relinquish this newfound control and she wasn’t above teasing, just a little. The feeling of Jane’s hand threading through her hair sent electrical currents along her scalp and then down her spine. The little circle's Jane’s hips were making against her mouth matched the circles she was making with her tongue as she continued to explore and tease. 

“Oh God, Maura… please… fuck… me…” Jane threw her head back and closed her eyes as she ground herself down seeking to find an end to the tantalizing torment that threatened to shatter her into a million shards of light.

Jane’s plea softened Maura’s resolve to tease and draw things out as she watched the blush move over Jane’s chest and up her neck. It was time to bring Jane over the edge and with a new resolve, Maura buried herself in doing just that. And when Jane’s thighs began to tremble and her back arched, pressing her further into Maura’s mouth, the moan that echoed throughout the room shook Maura to the core. The spasms of pleasure that rolled through Jane’s body vibrated through them both, but Maura wasn’t ready to stop yet. The changes in Jane’s body had already changed everything about how they made love and Maura wanted to try for more. So, she continued to press her tongue against Jane’s center seeking more than she had ever sought before.

Jane could feel her orgasm building up like a red, hot coil ready to spring forth from her at any second. When Maura finally pushed through the barrier, letting her mouth bring an end to the sweetest torture Jane had ever experienced in her life, it felt as if her body split open, exposing her to a shower of thousands of bright stars raining down over her exposed skin. It was so intense that she was sure she herself had become part of the shower of light that danced before her closed eyes before burning out in a trail of white-hot heat. But before she could catch her breath, Maura’s tongue pressed further into her, relentlessly seeking more. And when Maura pulled her into her mouth one last time, the world stopped spinning and Jane felt herself float away on waves of pleasure that washed over her with a warm light that calmed her like nothing she had ever felt before.

When Jane collapsed into her arms, Maura held her tight as Jane’s body continued to tremble with spasms of pleasure. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Watching Jane come undone above her the way she had was a privileged she would cherish forever. Knowing she had given Jane what she needed without restraint was enough to satisfy her for the rest of her life. She could feel Jane’s heavy breaths ghosting across her collar bone, tickling the side of her neck, and the desire to feel that moment of unbridled release again almost overwhelmed her. But when Jane’s breathing slowed, and its cadence indicated she had fallen asleep, Maura smiled in satisfaction knowing that she had experienced one of the most wonderful moments in her life. Running her fingers through the tangle of dark hair that draped across her chest, she leaned down to place a soft kiss at Jane’s temple. “You are my everything…” she whispered against the soft skin her lips rested against and then closed her eyes to follow Jane into slumber.

***

When Jane woke up an hour after falling asleep in Maura’s arms, she was craving French toast. The weight of Maura’s body next to her own reminded her of the reason why she was sore in just the right places and warmth crept up over her chest and cheeks in the form of a blush at the memory of what they had done. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she looked down at Maura’s sleeping form, curled up on one side as the sound of soft snoring filled the room. Maura wasn’t a snorer usually, except when she was exceptionally tired and after the week she’d just had, working six, ten-hour days in a row, Jane knew Maura deserved every minute of sleep she could get.

As quietly as she could, Jane slipped from their bed without disturbing Maura, which was another indication of how tired Maura really was. She glanced over her shoulder while rummaging through the dresser in search of her BPD t-shirt and a flutter of desire sprang to life in the pit of her stomach again, or perhaps it was just because she was hungry. She couldn’t help but marvel at how her appetite for both food and Maura had grown past anything she expected. But as she stood there watching the rise and fall of   
Maura’s chest, she wanted more of what they had shared earlier but then her stomach growled indicating it wouldn’t be ignored. She frowned when she realized she hadn’t returned Maura’s favor yet this morning but it was mainly because what they had done took everything out of her leaving her muscles in a mass of wobbly jello and all she could do after not one, but two orgasms, was collapse against the safety of Maura’s arms, close her eyes, and drift asleep. But it was okay because she had all day and night to make it up to Maura since Valley was spending the weekend with Frankie, Steph, and Noah. And she had every intention of giving Maura everything that was coming to her and that thought alone brought a broad smile to her lips. 

When she finally found what she was looking for, her BPD t-shirt, she grabbed a pair of folded sweatpants off the dresser top before quietly tiptoeing into the bathroom. Glancing down at her feet, she half expected to find Jo Friday dancing around, waiting to be let out but then she remembered Jo was with Valley and she let out a relieved sigh. She was grateful for the weekend to concentrate solely on her and Maura. It had been a rough four weeks, what with Maura having to work every weekend up until now. Not to mention the fact she, herself hadn’t been able to shake the nausea that made her feel like she’d been riding on the tilt-a-wheel every day. But that had all changed one morning when she woke up to find the world had righted itself and her nausea had been replaced by an intense hunger for things she’d never liked before. Dill pickle and peanut butter sandwiches had replaced her favorite fluffernutter sandwiches as of late and she couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of two things that should never be combined in a sandwich, but her body had other ideas when it came to the strange combination. And then there was the syrup over instant mashed potatoes. That thought made her smile, though. She had always loved instant mashed potatoes but adding the syrup had elevated it to a whole new level. But it couldn’t be just any kind of syrup, it had to be Mrs. Butterworth even though Maura had pointed out on several occasions that it was mostly corn syrup and not traditional maple. 

Her stomach growled again as her mind wandered to the things she was craving lately, and it reminded her that she wanted French toast, so she closed the bathroom door as quietly as she could so she wouldn’t wake Maura up. When she turned around to set her clothes on the sink, she caught a glimpse of her naked body and did a double take. She almost didn’t recognize the reflection looking back at her. Taking in the form before her, she marveled at the changes she could see happening before her eyes. Her hair was thick and lustrous as it hung down over her shoulders, brushing against the tops of her breasts. Her eyes dropped down to those breasts as she turned sideways to admire their fullness and she couldn’t help but touch them. Their heaviness was a new sensation in the palms of her hands, one she welcomed and cursed at the same time. They were sensitive to every touch, whether it was her own, Maura’s, or just the fabric of her bra or t-shirt and a shiver ran through her body as her nipples hardened under the fingers that lightly grazed them while she continued to watch herself in awe. And then her eyes and hands dropped lower to the small baby bump that had replaced the lean muscles she was used to seeing. With a reverent gentleness, she ran her hands over the pouch that could easily be mistaken for a night of too much beer drinking and she smiled at the fact that it was indeed a tiny human growing inside of her. Her once narrow hips now had a soft curve to them, a fullness that matched her breasts. In fact, she now had an hourglass figure to rival Maura’s, the same figure that made her hands itch and mouth water. The thought of Maura’s body brought about that little flame of desire and it threatened to ignite into a raging inferno that might burn them both up is she didn’t take a cold shower and leave Maura alone, at least for a few hours while she refueled with the French toast that continued to call to her, the only thing that could pull her thoughts away from the other hunger that raced along her skin, seeping into her veins like nothing she had ever experienced before. 

Pushing aside all thoughts other than food, Jane turned on the shower and stepped in when it reached the desired temperate of warm without being hot. She sighed as the water cascaded over her hair and down her shoulders, gasping slightly as it rolled down and over her breasts to the V between her legs. “French toast, French toast, French toast…” she chanted to herself to distract her thoughts from the sensations rolling through her body, crying out for Maura’s touch again. So, as quickly as she could, she set about to finish with the intention of seeking out her salvation in some egg dipped bread cut on the diagonal with butter draped across the top and Mrs. Butterworth spilling over the sides, oozing along the edges of the plate begging her to run her finger through. “Get a grip, Jane…” she groaned as even the thought of breakfast turned into something sexual in the back of her mind.

When she finally stepped from the shower, she had convinced herself that only one thing mattered and that was food. Dressing quickly, she pulled her wet hair into a ponytail before giving one last gentle pat to her middle. With a solid plan to bring Maura breakfast in bed, she set out quietly towards the kitchen but not before one last, wistful glance over her shoulder at Maura’s sleeping figure.

As she stealthily made her way to the kitchen, she had a renewed pep in her step at the prospect of eating. And even though she couldn’t have any of her beloved coffee, Maura’s peppermint tea wasn’t half bad. In fact, it was something she was looking forward to. So, when she entered the kitchen, the first thing she did was put the kettle of water on the stove. She smiled at the little red kettle that looked like a rooster because she knew Maura would be proud of her for not putting a cup of water in the microwave, something she was inclined to do sometimes. Turning the stove on, she was greeted with several clicks, followed by a whoosh as the gas ignited into a blue and white flame. With that out of the way, she set about gathering the ingredients to make the French toast, only she couldn’t remember exactly what she needed.

“Eggs…” she muttered to herself as she rummaged around in the refrigerator looking for the basket of brown, free-range eggs Maura insisted they buy. Not only were they brown, but they were speckled. Picking up one of the eggs, she raised a questioning eyebrow as she examined it more closely, wondering what kind of chicken laid speckled eggs. But when the answer didn’t come to her, she just shrugged her shoulders and set it back in the basket with the others. After setting the basket on the counter, she began the hunt for the bread and smiled when she found her favorite white, Wonder bread nestled amongst the whole wheat, five grain, and whatever other healthy alternative Maura may have purchased.

Eggs and bread… was that all she needed to make the French toast? Rubbing the back of her neck, she stared at the two ingredients sitting next to each other on the counter before dropping her hands to her hips and tilting her head to the side in contemplation. When nothing else came to mind, she pulled a bowl from the cabinet and armed herself with a silicone lined whisk, another thing Maua insisted they own. After cracking several eggs into the bowl, without so much as a piece of shell to her pleasant surprise, she began to whisk them together. The cast-iron skillet her Ma had given them was sitting on the stove next to the kettle, so she turned the burner on to preheat it before going back to her whisking. When she was satisfied the eggs had had enough, she pulled several pieces of bread from their bag and dropped them into the bowl. As she was dunking the bread to coat it completely, the faintest whistling sound demanded her attention. She quickly grabbed the kettle before it went full-on, fearing it might wake Maura up before she was ready. Her cup with the box of tea bags sat on the counter, so she poured the boiling water, dropped a teabag in, and pushed the cup away to give it the proper amount of time to steep.

Turning her attention back to the bread, she grabbed the bowl and attempted to remove a piece of bread. To her surprise, it fell apart before she could get it to the skillet. Using a spatula, she scooped it up and then dropped it in the skillet with a loud, wet plop that had her wondering how things had gone so wrong. With a frown, she watched the bread sizzle against the hot cast iron before trying to flip it over, but unfortunately, she only succeeded in tearing it apart. Her eyes widened in confusion at the messy, scrambled egg catastrophe spread out over the pan. 

“Shit…” she sighed as she watched her breakfast crash and burn before her eyes. “What the hell did I do wrong?” The question hung in the air waiting to be answered, but she had no answer as she continued to stare down at the mess she had somehow created. And just when she thought all was lost, a light rap on the back door had her letting out a heavy breath of relief. A smile slid across her face at the realization that everything was going to be alright because her Ma would save the day and most importantly, her breakfast. 

With the wave of her hand, Jane acknowledged her mother’s presence and to let her know she was on her way to let her in. When she opened the door, she was handed two casserole dishes while Angela kept two with her eyes directed towards the freezer, which was where she was headed without a word of greeting. 

“I made you that chicken and stuffing casserole you and Valley love so much. Maybe you should put that in the frig so you can have it tomorrow for dinner.” Angela opened the freezer and slid the two casserole dishes in before reaching for the one Jane held in her left hand. “That’s the eggplant parm you’ve got there, and I just put some enchilada’s and lasagna in here too. That should hold you over for a few days.” She smirked playfully at the insinuation that Jane’s appetite had a mind of its own. “Oh, and Tommy dropped off some of these little sauce packets from that taco place you seem to like so much lately.”

Jane’s eyes lit up at the little bag her mother was holding up. “Thanks, Ma and tell Tommy he made my day. I just ran out last night when Maura and I had dinner last night.” She handed the fourth casserole over to her mother and watched her put it in the refrigerator, her stomach growling at the thought of eating. 

“What’s going on, here?” Angela closed the frig door and noticed the mess on the counter and in the cast iron skillet.

“I was trying to make French toast for breakfast, but I think you can chalk it up to an epic fail.” Jane shrugged her shoulders as she tried not to look guilty. “I forgot how to make it I think.”

“Aw, the pregnancy brain fog…” Angela mused aloud, nodding her understanding.

“Pregnancy brain what?” Jane frowned at her mother as she began to fuss over the mess.

“Brain fog… you’ll discover that you’re not quite as sharp as you used to be. Like memory and stuff like that. Don’t know why it happens, but it just does. When I was pregnant with Frankie, I put the car keys in the silverware drawer, and we had to call a locksmith because I couldn’t remember where I put them. Imagine my surprise when I went to set the table for dinner and found them nestled between the knives and forks. And then there was that time I accidentally threw my purse in the dumpster with the trash and your father had to climb in to retrieve it.”

“Great another thing to look forward to…” Jane sighed heavily.

“Hey, it hasn’t been all bad. Your nausea is gone and based on the fact that Maura is still asleep at this hour, I’d say you had a pretty busy night…” The smirk indicated that Angela knew exactly what they had done that morning.

“Ma…” Heat rose to Jane’s cheeks and all the way to the tips of her ears at her mother’s insinuation.

“What? I’ve been pregnant three times… I remember what it’s like. I don’t think your father got a full night's sleep when I started my second trimester, but he wasn’t complaining…” Angela winked saucily at Jane, causing her blush to deepen. 

“Oh my God… Ma… please.” Jane rolled her eyes and waved her hands in the air. 

“Don’t be so sensitive, darling…” Angela gave Jane’s shoulder a placating pat. “But as much fun, as it is teasing you right now, I can see we have a French toast emergency. Would you like my help?” She asked with the tilt of her head as she regarded her daughter with a small smile on her face.

“Yes, please…” Jane sounded relieved that the subject had changed to something she was happy to talk about, not that she wasn’t happy to be reminded of she and Maura had done that morning but not by her mother. 

“Okay, it looks like you forgot to add the milk or cream to the eggs, and then you used that flimsy white bread.” Angela began to gather what she needed to fix Jane’s disastrous attempt. “You go ahead and whisk the eggs together with some milk, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon while I slice up some of that French bread...” she pointed at the left-over loaf from their dinner last night.

“But I like Wonder bread…” Jane pouted as she followed her mother’s orders.

“It just doesn’t hold up as well, that’s why you ended with that…” Angela pointed to the mushy mess that now sat in the sink. “But I’ll be happy to let you try again, on your own.” She couldn’t help but give Jane the side-eye as she waited for an answer.

“Sorry Ma, I appreciate your help and all of the meals you’ve made for us.” Jane sighed at having been duly chastised. 

“I know you do, dear.” 

“You wanna stay for breakfast?”

“Can’t…” Angela didn’t look up at Jane as she began to slice the French bread into one-inch-thick slices.

“Oh?” Jane stopped what she was doing and lifted an eyebrow in question as she turned to look at her mother. “Have a date or something?”

“Or something…” Angela still didn’t look up.

“Really? Does ‘or something’ have a name?”

“If you must know, I’m having brunch with Constance.” 

When Angela finally looked up and their eyes met, Jane swallowed back the questions she was being dared to ask. “Or something…” she muttered under her breath as she decided to take the high road. Unfortunately, Angela heard her and frowned as she waved her knife around to trying to dismiss the implication of Jane’s words with a few unintelligible ones of her own. “Hey, watch the knife…” Jane held her hands up in protest.

“Sorry…” Angela ducked her head in apology. 

For a moment, silence fell over them like a blanket attempting to smother their thoughts. But then Jane smiled shyly and gave her mother a sideways glance. “You know, you can tell me anything, Ma.” She offered but before anything else could be said, the doorbell rang interrupting their moment. With a furrowed brow, she looked at her mother and wondered who could possibly be ringing their doorbell on a Saturday morning, hoping it wasn’t Frankie bringing Valley home just yet. 

“Who could that be?” Angela set her knife down and turned her attention to the entryway.

“I hope it’s not Frankie, not that I wouldn’t be glad to see the munchkin…” Jane tried to push her disappointment down.

“I just talked to him and they were heading to the zoo, so I don’t think it’s him.” 

“Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out…” Jane set her whisk down and headed towards the front door. But before she could get there, she could hear voices and realized that one was Maura’s and the other… was Kelly. 

As Jane rounded the corner, she was surprised to see that Maura was up and showered, dressed in a pair of tight yoga pants and a tank top that showed off her muscled biceps and her stomach tightened with desire. But she wasn’t the only one to notice Maura’s perfect body. She watched from a few feet away as Kelly’s bright eyes roved over every inch before her before meeting her own over Maura’s shoulder as she stood in the hallway and it caused Kelly’s over-exaggerated smile to falter.

“Isn’t it enough that Maura’s worked the past three weekends in a row?” Jane leaned against the kitchen doorframe and crossed her arms. “You couldn’t just let her have this one?”

“Oh, um…” Kelly struggled to find a quick retort for why she was standing in their doorway interrupting their Saturday morning. “I just wanted to drop off these forms for Maura to look over…” her voice trailed off with uncertainty.

“Got the short stick, did ya?” Jane huffed impatiently as she continued to glare at Kelly who nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Maura glanced over her shoulder and her breath was taken away at the sight of Jane’s indignation on her behalf. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail, her dark eyes flashed with a protectiveness that made her weak at the knees, and the sweat pants that hugged her figure and that BPD t-shirt that extenuated those breast she’d had the privilege of experiencing earlier that morning… well, it was all Maura could do keep her shaky legs from giving out beneath her. When their eyes met, Jane’s softened into the warm suede she loved drowning in.

“Maura, are you feeling alright?” Kelly reached out to touch Maura on the arm to draw her attention back. “You look flushed all of a sudden…”

With a quick wink at the object of her desire, she turned back to Kelly with a passive expression. “I’m fine, thanks.” She ran her fingers through her hair to push it away from her neck as heat moved up and over her face. Plastering a placating smile on her face, she took the folder that Kelly offered. “I think you could have just emailed these to me, but I appreciate you making sure I got them.” 

“Oh, yeah… I just wanted to make sure you got them.” Kelly parroted what Maura had just said with a slight cough as she nervously cleared her throat. 

“But I’m sure you understand that it’s my weekend off and I’d appreciate it I was allowed to enjoy it without having to deal with this…” Maura held up the file to show what she was talking about. “Whatever this is… I’m sure it can wait until Monday.”

Kelly blushed at Maura’s light admonishment, but Jane could see she wasn’t sorry at having interrupted their morning. She was proud of Maura for sticking up for them and not letting work interfere with their time together. In fact, it was downright sexy at how firm Maura had been and a smirk slid across her face. 

“I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t interrupt anything… important…” Kelly said even though her eyes, directed Jane’s way, said she wasn’t the slightest bit sorry.

“Oh, you didn’t interrupt anything… yet.” Jane placed a heavy emphasis on the word ‘yet’. And to push her point home, she sauntered over to stand behind Maura and wrap her arms around Maura’s waist in a possessive way. Resting her chin on Maura’s shoulder, she grinned knowingly at Kelly who cleared her throat and quickly looked away.

“I’ll leave you to it, then…” Kelly stuttered as she stepped away from the front door and practically ran to her car to escape Jane’s controlled anger. But not before giving Maura one last hopeful smile as she disappeared behind a closing door. 

“You’re being bad.” Maura gave the hands resting against her stomach a light pat.

“Not as bad as I’m gonna be when we’re finally alone.” Jane’s voice was low and throaty against Maura’s ear. 

“What do you mean by finally?” Maura asked as she turned within the circle of Jane’s arms, catching a glimpse of Angela who had a knowing smirk on her face.

Jane felt the presence of her mother before it registered on Maura’s face with a look of surprise. “I kinda messed up the French toast.” She ducked her head shyly.

“Messed up?” Angela asked. “More like destroyed…”

“You’re making me Franch toast for me?” Maura’s eyes grew wide at Jane’s thoughtfulness.

“Yeah, I was gonna surprise you with breakfast in bed.”

Wrapping her arm’s around Jane’s neck, she pulled down until her lips were level with one of Jane’s ears. “If you recall, I already had breakfast in bed…” she whispered. The smile that played across her lips was sexy and playful. 

Warmth and redness spread up and over Jane’s neck and face as she coughed to clear away the knot that had formed in her parched throat. The feeling of Maura pressed against almost had her forgetting that her mother was watching… almost. With some difficulty, she disentangled herself from Maura’s hold with an apologetic smile but a light in her eyes that promised something more later and was rewarded with a genuine smile of understanding from Maura. 

“You two are making me sick…” Angela waved her hands as she turned around to head back to the kitchen. 

With a quick wink at Maura, Jane turned to follow her mother so she could help her finish what she clearly wasn’t able to finish on her own. “Why don’t you go do some yoga or something while we finish breakfast.”

Biting down on her bottom lip, Maura watched Jane walk away with a longing she hoped she’d never get tired of and nodded. “Okay…” she said with a sigh. “Will Angela be joining us?” 

“Nope, she has plans for brunch…” Jane hesitated before continuing. “With you mother…” she finished with a shrug of her shoulders as the questions she had been too afraid to ask came to her mind again.

“That’s nice. I’m glad they are spending more time together since neither of them is dating anyone right now.”

“Yeah…” Jane wasn’t exactly sure what was going on between the two older women. There had been a shift in their relationship, something different but not overt. She couldn’t help but wonder if Maura had sensed the change as well. But for now, she would let it go. It was, after all, none of her business… at least that is what she kept telling herself.

“I guess I’ll do some sun salutations out in the back yard if you’re sure you don’t need any help.” Maura waited for Jane to reassure her that she didn’t need any help.

“Nah, Ma, and I got this.” Jane grinned as she watched Maura disappear out into the backyard, knowing that she would be able to watch her out the window over the sink and that thought warmed her insides because watching Maura do yoga brought back some pretty steamy memories of times they had tried to practice together. 

When Jane entered the kitchen, she found her mother leaning against the counter with a scowl on her face. Her arms were crossed, and she was tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Jane. 

“What’s up Ma?” Jane asked as she moved back to the eggs she had been whisking before they’d been interrupted.

“I don’t like that woman.” Angela waved her hands around and pointed towards the front door. “She was looking at Maura like… well… like you do.” She huffed.

Both of Jane’s eyebrows rose high up on her forehead as she turned to her mother with a look of surprise. She knew that Kelly had the hots for Maura, but she hadn’t realized how bad it was until recently. The doubt that Maura would ever act on it had never entered her mind but when she had seen the way Kelly had been staring at Maura in her yoga pants and tank top, it made her blood boil. She knew she had been catty earlier, but she didn’t care because she needed Kelly to know who Maura came home to every night; who Maura gave herself to without restraint; whose touch made Maura come undone… and that was Jane Rizzoli-Isles.

“Hey, what’s with that look?” Angela asked as she watched Jane’s brow furrow and a small frown take the place of her crooked grin. 

“Nothing Ma…” Jane tried to dismiss her mother’s concern.

“Oh, no… there is no ‘nothing’ to this. I don’t trust that woman and I can tell by the look on your face that you don’t either.”

“Okay, what do you want me to say? I don’t trust her… there are you happy?” Jane let out a heavy, frustrated breath but then caught a glimpse of Maura through the kitchen window. “But I trust Maura.” She said as a small smile creased her lips at the sight of the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Angela glanced out the window at what Jane was looking at and smiled as well. She walked over and wrapped her arms around Jane’s shoulders and hugged her tightly. “I know you do, but just make sure you keep your eyes open at all times. Women like that… what’s her name… Kelly?... yeah, well they usually need reminding from time to time. But I think you did a good job earlier… she all but ran to her car with her tail between her legs.”

Jane laughed as she allowed her mother to hold her in a hug. “Yeah, I was worried I was coming across as bitchy.”

“You’re pregnant… you can be as bitchy as you want.” Angela gave Jane’s stomach a gentle pat. “Besides, even I can admit that Maura looks pretty hot in her yoga clothes. I guess I can’t really blame that Kelly for looking as long as she doesn’t try and touch…” she mused as she let Jane go to gather the slices of bread to dunk them in the egg and milk mixture.

Angela’s chatter caused Jane to laugh again as she waited for the next step of their French toast preparation to begin. She watched Angela heat up the skillet before dropping a small sliver of butter into it and watched it sizzle when it hit the hot surface. Then   
Angela dipped the bread in the batter before dropping it onto the cast iron surface with a loud plop.

“Your first mistake was not getting the skillet hot enough. Okay, that may have been your second mistake… your first mistake was not getting the batter mixed properly and then you used the wrong bread… okay I guess you made a lot of mistakes...” Angela grabbed a spatula and flipped the first piece of bread to reveal a perfectly toasted slice. 

As Jane watched her mother prepare their breakfast, her stomach growled at the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon that filled the air around her. “Thanks for doing this, Ma.” She said as she continued to watch and learn so she wouldn’t make the same mistakes next time. 

“Any time…” Angela smiled over her shoulder. “You guys got dinner planned out yet? I can make some pasta carbonara if you’d like.”

“Nah, I think we may order a pizza from Nemo’s. Maura’s turned me on to pineapple and ham pizza and I’m craving them all the time now. Of course, she’ll make me eat a salad too…” Jane made a face at her arch-nemesis of the food groups.

“Pineapple and ham? Blasphemy…” Angela laughed. “But seriously, I’m just glad she’s got you eating some fruit, even if it’s on a pizza.” She made a face to match the one Jane had made at the mention of salad. “Can’t say I understand how the two go together… but to each their own…”

“What time is your brunch date?” Jane asked, emphasizing the last word with a slight inflection.

Glancing over at the clock on the stove, Angela jumped in surprise. “Oh, I need to get ready…” She said as she scrambled to finish.

“I got it, Ma. I think I can finish…” Jane took the spatula from Angela and smiled. “You’ve taught me well.”

“You sure? I can just text Constance that I’ll be a little late.” 

“No, you go get ready. You’ve already done half of it so far; I can do the rest.” Jane gave her mother a gentle shove towards the back door. “Go on… have a good time.” She could have sworn she saw a faint blush color Angela’s face as she headed out the door with a muttered goodbye. When she found herself standing alone in the kitchen with a spatula in her left hand and a stack of sliced French bread sitting on the counter in front of her, she couldn’t help but wonder if she had missed something. Her   
mother had left so quickly that she barely got a goodbye as the back door slammed shut with a loud crack that startled her. But there was no time to ponder what had just happened because she was hungry and needed to finish what she started. 

When the last piece of bread sat, sizzling in the skillet, Jane let out a sigh of relief. She had almost made it to the finish line with only this last piece left. In the oven was a plate stacked high with all the pieces she and her mother had done and the smell was heavenly. With a quick flip of the wrist, the last piece would be finished in less than a minute, and she smiled at the thought that she had contributed more than just whisking a few eggs together. She knew she would have to make some for Valley sometime soon because she was actually pretty good at it now.

“That’s quite a self-satisfied smirk on your face…” Maura said from behind Jane, startling her from her thoughts.

“You can’t see my face; how would you know?” Jane laughed because she did, indeed have a self-satisfied smirk on her face. 

“Um… because I know you very well, my dear.” Maura sighed as she wrapped her arms around Jane’s waist and placed her chin on broad shoulders so she could see what was taking place on the stove. “Look’s good. I’m starving…”

“Me too. It only took me… like… four hours to do this but, voila…” Jane grinned as she placed the last piece of French toast on a plate.

“It’s only noon, so I’d say it’s perfect timing for brunch.” Maura placed a quick kiss to the side of Jane’s neck before letting her go so she could help plate the rest of their breakfast. “You want a cup of tea?” 

“That would be wonderful…” Jane tipped her head towards her empty cup. “I made myself one this morning and you’d be proud of me because I used the kettle.”

“Did you, now? I think I’ll have a cup as well…” Maura started to say as she began to fill the kettle with water. 

“Maur, you know you can have coffee if you want. It won’t bother me.” Jane offered because coffee was as important to Maura as it was to her.

“I know, but I feel like something light… something that will give me a little energy because I have a feeling I might be needing it later if this morning’s activities are any indication of how the rest of the day and evening will go.” Maura wiggled her eyebrows suggestively as she placed the kettle down on the stovetop. 

“Um, about this morning… I’m sorry I fell asleep before…” Jane’s voice faltered slightly, and her cheeks turned red.

Maura turned and placed her hands at Jane’s hips before pulling her close. “You have nothing to be sorry for, my sweet Jane.” She hovered her lips over parted ones. “You took me by surprise this morning, but it was the most wonderful surprise to wake up to.   
I’m just sorry we couldn’t achieve a trifecta.” Leaning in she placed a soft, delicate kiss to Jane’s waiting mouth.

The kiss was lazy and leisurely as Jane drank from the lips that offered the promise of salvation and satisfaction. But before Maura’s exploring tongue could find her own, she pulled back and dropped her gaze from the intensity of Maura’s. “I’ve never had two in a row like that… back to back…” she stammered to say the words. “I mean… I’ve had two but never that close together…” her voice dropped to a whisper.

Ducking her head so she could force Jane to look at her, Maura smiled sweetly. “It still amazes me how shy you are sometimes.” She said as she placed a quick kiss to Jane’s lips. “Now you see why that’s one of my favorite positions?”

Jane nodded emphatically and offered a crooked smile in return. “I never knew it could be that good.” She shivered at the thought of how she had felt that morning as Maura had taken her to new heights, she never knew she could reach. “It got me thinking that maybe…” she paused and looked away from Maura’s curious eyes.

“Tell me what you want, Jane. You know I’ll give you anything you want…” There was a silent plea in Maura’s voice that caused Jane to turn her eyes back to hazel-green ones.

“You know that thing we bought a few months back?”

“Um… yeah…” Maura drew the last word out to indicate she knew exactly what Jane was talking about.

“I think, maybe…” A sexy smirk slid across Jane’s face, accentuating the deep-set dimples in her cheeks. “I’d like you to use it on me…” 

Maura’s eyes widened in surprise at Jane’s admission. “Oh, by the Gods, this is my lucky day…” she let out a shuttering breath at the thought of taking Jane in the one way she had yet to experience. Every nerve in her body was on alert and she was ready to throw breakfast to the wayside but then Jane’s stomach growled, and it made her smile. “I guess I should feed you before taking you back to bed.”

“Yeah, sorry… it seems to have a mind of its own.” Jane sighed heavily and patted her stomach because it was true. 

“How about we enjoy this wonderful feast you’ve worked all morning to make and then take a nice hot bath together so I can massage your shoulders… and then we can see where the day takes us.” Maura offered.

“I’d love that, as long as you promise we can order a couple of pineapple and ham pizzas for dinner.”

Jane’s suggestion had Maura doing a double take. Before, one pizza was more than enough but two… Maura couldn’t help but laugh. “I promise… we’ll order as many pizzas as you want, and I won’t even make you eat any salad tonight.”

“Now that’s what I call a plan.” Jane grinned as she wrapped her arms around Maura and hugged her tight. If anyone had told her a few months ago that she would be willing to eat a pineapple and ham pizza she would have said they were crazy, but things had changed and so had she. This morning had been a perfect example of how much she had changed over the past four months… giving herself to Maura the way she had, experiencing something so intense she thought she might never recover. Change was all around her and she couldn’t wait to see what was coming tomorrow because if it was half as good as today, she’d never want to go back.


	9. Chapter 9

*I hope this finds everyone well. I am moving along with the next book in my original series… nearly 20,000 words in. I will do my best to continue posting a new chapter every month… so far so good. I just want to thank you all for supporting me here and with my new original. Also, thanks for the reviews and messages… I enjoy hearing from everyone. Thanks again, and I look forward to continuing with the new adventures of Jane, Maura and family. 

Bliss Like this  
9  
Maura slipped into her office to escape the hustle and bustle that tried to follow her down the hall of the clinic. She had an hour to spare before her next appointment and she intended on taking advantage of every minute. As she shut the door behind her, she contemplated whether or not to turn on the lights, and without much deliberation, she decided to leave them off so she could hide under the cover of darkness. 

It was cool and quiet as she made her way over to her desk, but not before letting out a heavy sigh of relief to rival the one she let out when she pulled up outside of home at the end of the day. The clinic had been busy all morning, not allowing her to eat lunch at her regular time but she wasn't much hungry at the moment… just bone-weary tired. It would stand to reason that she was tired, what with work and Jane's insatiable appetite inside and outside of their bedroom, but she wasn't complaining, not even a little. She smiled at the memory of taking Jane from behind in their bathroom and then her cheeks grew flushed from the heat that race over her. It hadn't been planned and her boldness had surprised them both, but what surprised her even more, was that Jane had allowed it, giving herself over without restraint. Giving up control, especially in the bedroom, had been difficult for Jane over the years but lately, she was giving Maura all of it and she enjoying every minute of their feisty lovemaking. The anticipation of what was to come next caused Maura to shiver, in a good way. Unfortunately, the headache she had been fighting was beginning to win its battle and all she wanted to do at the moment was sit in a quiet place and rest her eyes. 

As she dropped down in her chair, she pulled off her black, wire-rimmed reading glasses and dropped them on her desk. She rubbed her tired eyes before resting her chin in the palm of one of her hands. She couldn't help but say a small prayer to the Gods above that she had the weekend off and could spend it with Jane and Valley doing nothing but lounging around the house, watching movies and eating pizza… or maybe Thai food, at this point, she wasn't picky. With Jane now passing the six-month mark, they were fast approaching the day they would welcome their little bundle of joy and Maura couldn't wait. Neither could the rest of the family and she was thankful for all the help they had received from everyone. Jane was still teaching but it wouldn't be long until she was ready for her maternity leave and per their agreement, Maura would take hers when Jane went back to work after the baby was born. That way they could each have the opportunity to bond at their own pace. Of course, Maura planned on taking a few weeks off to spend at home to help Jane in the beginning.

Rolling her shoulders forward and then backward, a trick she learned in her yoga class, she attempted to release the tension that had built up in her neck. Then she followed that with some circles of her head, moving clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Her eyes were closed and she could feel herself slipping into quiet contemplation as her muscles loosened up and her headache began to fade. She was so lost in her relaxation exercises that she didn't hear the door open followed by the soft click of it being closed and the lights being turned on and finally the fragrant smell of flowers that tickled her nose. Opening her eyes, she wasn't surprised to find Kelly watching her with a pensive expression and for a moment, she thought about telling the other woman she wanted to be alone. But something stopped her. Her muddled brain made it difficult for her to process what was happening, let alone what would happen next. So with a small smile, she brought her gaze up to meet the blue eyes that watched with a mixture of trepidation and uncertainty and waved a hand towards the empty chair across from her desk. 

“I see you’ve found me…” Maura let out a tired sigh.

“I didn’t know you were hiding.” Kelly took a seat across from Maura.

“I was just looking for a few minutes alone…” Maura pushed some honey blonde hair over her shoulder. The move did not go unnoticed and it caused Maura to pause and wonder why Kelly’s pupils had grown larger. The dilation of the pupils in this situation usually indicated arousal and Maura couldn’t help but feel confused by what she was witnessing. “Did you need something?” She asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Kelly’s gaze.

Kelly bit down on her lip and shook her head. "I was just worried about you. You're working hard and seem tired all of the time." 

Maura smiled slyly as she thought about the reason she was tired today. “I’m fine, just getting ready for the baby and all.” She tried to brush off Kelly’s concerns. 

For a moment, Kelly was quiet as she studied Maura from across the desk. “I think I might be able to help.” She stood and walked around to stand behind Maura, taking her by surprise. “How about a neck massage to relieve some of the pressure.” It wasn’t a question, as she already had her hands poised over Maura’s shoulders.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.” Maura tried to shift in her seat to avoid the touch that was inevitable because Kelly wasn’t listening.

“You’re not asking, I’m offering.” 

And without warning, warm fingers began to knead and squeeze the knotted muscles of Maura’s neck and shoulders. Letting out a sigh, Maura sank into the feeling of strong hands and fingers moving over the tension that had built up. It wasn’t as if she had asked for Kelly to do it, it was just something that was happening but something was beginning to nag at her in the back of her mind, something she was presently trying to ignore.

“Just relax…” Kelly’s voice came on a breathless whisper as she leaned down so she was close to Maura’s ear.

The warmth of Kelly's breath against her ear took Maura by surprise causing her to quickly turn her head to the side in the realization of what was happening. Her sudden movement was followed by a loud 'whack' and a groan of pain. Whipping her head around, she found Kelly holding a hand in front of her face as a thin line of blood trickled down her chin. She had a pained expression on her face as she quickly moved away from Maura, trying to keep the blood from dripping on either one of them. 

“Oh my God, I’m sorry Kelly…” Maura jumped up, scrabbling to grab the first aid kit that was in the bottom drawer of her desk.

“No, no… it’s okay… I’m okay.” Kelly attempted to wave Maura’s concern away. “It’s just a scratch.”

"Here, let me take a look." Maura maneuvered herself so she could gently guide Kelly to sit on the edge of her desk. Using two fingers, she lifted Kelly's chin so she could see exactly where she had hit her, but a hand was in the way. "I need you to let me see it." She waited for the hand to move and then grabbed her glasses off the pile of papers that lay strewn across her desk so she could see better. 

Kelly sat motionless as Maura touched her face and only grimaced when a fingertip grazed the small cut on her upper lip. “I’m okay, Maura… really.” She tried to protest, but instead of pulling away from Maura’s hands, she leaned into them.  
With all of Maura’s concentration on the small wound she had accidentally inflicted, she didn’t notice as Kelly’s legs opened wider so she could get a little closer. And without thinking, she slipped between them, resting a hand on Kelly’s upper thigh as she dabbed at the cut with an alcohol swab. “You don’t need stitches but a butterfly stitch might be a good idea so it won’t scar.” 

“See, I told you I was alright.” Kelly sighed as she moved even closer to Maura’s face.

Looking away from Kelly, Maura began to rummage around in the first aid kit laying open on her desk. She was in doctor mode so it wasn’t obvious to her what was happening, but then she felt the light graze of fingertips along the back of the hand that rested somewhere it had not business resting. Quickly pulling her hand away as if she had touched something hot, she tried to act as if nothing had happened and continued to dig for the butterfly stitches and when she finally found them, she looked up to find Kelly gazing at her with a dreamy expression on her face. ‘Oh, shit… I think I’m in trouble…’ she thought to herself as she swallowed hard and pulled back only to find herself trapped between two legs that now held her tight. 

“Um… Kelly… I’m sorry… but…” Maura stammered as her brain finally caught up to the implications of what was happening.  
Kelly grabbed the lapels of the white coat that Maura was wearing and pulled her closer. “Shush…” she whispered as she placed a finger to Maura’s lips to stop her from talking. “I think I might know how you can make me feel better, though.” And with those whispered words, she pulled Maura even closer until their faces were inches apart. But before anything could happen, the sound of someone clearing their throat was like a bucket of cold water dousing their heated moment.

Frost stood in the doorway of Maura's office, watching the exchange between his friend and a woman he didn't know. At first, he didn't know what to make of what he was witnessing but upon closer examination, he realized that Maura was completely oblivious to what was transpiring, at her expense. He also knew that Maura had a naivete about situations that could sometimes get her into trouble and usually it wasn't her fault. She was a task-focused person and because of that, she didn't always realize when there was an ulterior motive to someone's actions. So, as he stood quietly watching what was happening before his eyes, he realized this was one of those times. That, and he knew that Maura was completely devoted to Jane. 

“Am I interrupting something?” He asked as he leaned against the door frame, noticing that Maura’s eyes were wide with a mixture of surprise and unease.

“Um… no… I was just tending to a cut on Kelly’s lip…” Maura stuttered as she untangled herself from Kelly’s hands and legs. She was both surprised and grateful for Frost’s sudden appearance. Something had happened in the moments before he arrived that indicated Maura had lost control of the situation and she wasn’t sure what it was. 

Watching Maura's struggle would have been funny if it wasn't for the fact that the blonde bombshell sitting on her desk looked over at Frost with a Cheshire grin on her face. It was then that Frost realized that this woman knew exactly what she was doing and felt that she had been successful. But the only thing she had succeeded in doing was putting her on Frost’s radar as someone who needed to be watched. But he didn’t want her to know he was on to her, so he strode across the room, hand outstretched and smiled that disarming smile he was known for.

Kelly jumped off the desk and turned to greet the man who had suddenly and unexpectedly appeared in Maura's office. She cursed herself for leaving the door open. If she had known earlier what she knew now, she would have shut and locked the door but things had happened quickly and she took advantage of Maura's kindness for her own benefit. She couldn't stop herself from giving Maura a knowing smile, one that said they'd continue where they left off later and she also couldn't help but mistake the wide-eyed look of surprise she received in return as one of agreement. 

“Barry Frost…” Frost reached out to shake Kelly’s hand in greeting and gave Maura a quick wink.

"Kelly, nice to meet you." Kelly took Frost's hand and tried not to grimace at the tight hold. 

“Kelly is my assistant.” Maura took another step back away from Kelly, finally finding her barrings as she steadied herself. 

"Nice to meet you as well…" Frost looked her up and down and couldn't find much fault in what he was seeing. The tight pencil skirt and a fitted button-up shirt, unbuttoned just enough to reveal the curve of ample cleavage, caused him to swallow hard as his thoughts drifted to the fact that this woman was smoking hot. And for one second, he wondered if maybe Jane really did have something to worry about, but one glance at Maura had him cursing himself for entertaining the thought. 

“I guess I’ll leave you to it…” Kelly shifted from one high heel to the other as she waited for Maura to send her along or hopefully ask her to stay.

"Thanks, Kelly, you can close my door on your way out… if you don't mind." Maura said before looking down at the first aid kit, remembering that she still hadn't administered the butterfly stitch she thought Kelly needed. "Oh, wait a minute." She said when she finally found what she was looking for. As quickly as she could, she walked up to Kelly and gently placed the small strip across the thin line that now marred Kelly's upper lip and got a small pout in return. All of sudden she was feeling very uncomfortable and it wasn't because of Frost's presence. In fact, everything that had happened up until that moment was catching up to her and her hands began to shake as she wiped away some of the dried blood on Kelly's chin. 

Maura's shaky hands convinced Kelly that Maura wanted more then she was letting on, so she reached out to grab one of the lapels on the white coat Maura was wearing, giving it a gentle tug. Her smile was soft and filled with longing as she caught Frost's eye over Maura's shoulder. The realization that she was being watched caused her to stiffen and let go of Maura's lapel. "I'll see you later." She offered Maura before giving Frost a quick nod of acknowledgment. "It was nice meeting you." And with those last words, she turned to leave, allowing her hips to sway just a little more than usual and tossing some of her blonde hair over her shoulder to show how confident she was. 

When the door finally shut, Maura let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I think I’m in big trouble.” She turned to Frost with wide eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.

“Ya think?” Frost leaned a hip against Maura’s big oak desk and crossed his arms.

“I don’t know what happened…” Maura’s voice trailed off as she ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face. “I mean I do, but it happened so fast.”

Frost watched Maura with a small, knowing smile on his face. He knew what kind of woman Kelly was, they were a dime a dozen, but he also knew that Maura had no idea how to handle her. “She’s got it bad for you.” His dark eyes flashed playfully but that playfulness didn’t reach his smile. “Does Jane know?”

“Yes, in fact, she tried to warn me… but it’s so hard to find a good assistant these days.” Maura shook her head as she made her way back to her desk to tidy up the first aid kit and put it away. “I guess things got a little out of hand. I just don’t know what I’ve done to let think I would even entertain the thought of stepping out on Jane. I never would… you know that, right?” She looked up at Frost, tear’s building up behind her hazel-green eyes. 

Frost immediately dropped his crossed arms and grabbed Maura in a hug. He knew that she would never cheat on Jane but he also needed to assure her. “I know. You and Jane are forever…” he said as he reached down to touch the small tattoo on the inside of her wrist, the one she had gotten in college to match the one that Jane had. “But be aware of the fact that you are a very attractive woman that others will want to sample… if you get my drift. I’m sure Jane has her fair share of admirers as well, but you can’t let them win.”

“Jane has admirers?” Maura pulled back to look at Frost, surprise written all over her face.

“Come on, Maura… you’re both gorgeous women, very much in the prime of your life. But I think you missed the point of my statement. You need to nip this in the bud before you find yourself pulled into something you can’t explain away.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Maura nodded. “I know, I know…” she gave his chest a quick pat as she pulled away from his hug. “I didn’t realize it had gotten to that point yet. I thought it was a harmless crush.”

"A harmless crush is one thing… Kelly… is another thing altogether. I don't think being subtle is going to work with her. You have to be firm and set boundaries or you're going to have to replace her." Frost tried to reason. 

Maura dropped down into her chair with an impatient huff. "I thought it would just go away, but clearly, it is just getting worse." She let out a puff of air, blowing a stray strand of hair from her face. 

“I’d have to agree with you there, Doc.” He moved to sit in the chair across from her.

Silence surrounded them for a moment until Maura realized something and eyed him suspiciously. “What are you doing here, anyway?” She asked.

“Well…” Frost grinned mischievously as he rested his elbows on the arms of the chair. “Some of the guys at the prescient wanna throw you guys a baby shower and put me in charge. Let’s just say I haven’t the foggiest idea how to do that.” He held his hands up as if in surrender.

Maura bit down on her bottom lip as she contemplated what Frost had said. “Okay…” she drew the word out unnecessarily as she leaned back in her chair to regard him with the tilt of her head. “What exactly do you need help with?”

“Everything.” He grinned at her.

“So, what you’re asking me to do is throw my own baby shower?”

“No, I just want some ideas. The only thing I know how to do is throw a bachelor party and I don’t think those skills will apply here. Oh, and by the way… Frankie’s bachelor party is going to be epic. I don’t think we can invite Jane though, you know with the whole baby thing and all.” He gave Maura a saucy wink.

“While I am sure she will be devastated…” Maura began and winced when she realized that Jane really would be devastated. “I guess I can help you…”

“I knew I could count on you.” Frost clapped his hands together in excitement.

“Why didn’t you just ask Angela to help? I’m sure she would gladly provide whatever guidance you needed. Or my mother for that matter.”

“I don’t know…” He shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I miss seeing you. It’s been ages since we’ve gotten together for anything…” He started to say then held up his hand to stop Maura from interrupting. “And I get it, you’ve been busy.”

“I guess we have been a little distracted with everything that’s been going on.” Maura looked down at her hands, feeling guilty. 

“It’s okay… I get it. You’ve got a baby on the way.” 

“No, we shouldn’t neglect our friendship…” Maura tried to wave away Frost’s statement.

"Okay then, let's start with this party. First things first… are you going to find out the sex of the baby beforehand?" 

“Um… no… I don’t think so. Jane and I want to be surprised.” Maura said.

“Really? Wouldn’t it make it easier for everyone to buy gifts… you know… like blue for a boy or pink for a girl?” Frost frowned as he tried to understand why they wouldn’t want to make things easier.

“Pink and blue are a social construct invented to create stereotypes of gender identity and Jane and I don’t subscribe to those ideas.” Maura crossed her arms and frowned back at him.

“I don’t understand a word you just said. Care to elaborate… in English this time?”

"Whether we have a boy or girl will not dictate what colors we use. As of now, we are leaning towards more neutral colors like yellow and green. Pink and blue are just fine but not as the only way to identify gender. It's up to the individual to decide how they want the world to view them… gender-wise that is. Did you know that in the early 20th century, pink was the assigned color for boys and blue for girls? It was believed that pink was the stronger color because it is a derivative of red, the color of blood. And blue was thought to be more delicate and dainty. Not to mention, both boys and girls wore dresses until about the age of six. It wasn't until the 40's that the fashion industry decided blue was for boys and pink was for girls and then the 80's when people could find out the sex of their baby so they went all out decorating their nursery's according to gender." 

Frost was quiet for a minute as he digested all of Maura's facts but only one thing stood out to him and he couldn't help but ask. "You're not going to be the kind of parents that let your son wear dresses, are you?" He bristled slightly, but when Maura glared at him he knew he was in trouble. 

“Dresses are taboo for boys but pants are perfectly fine for girls?” She leaned forward and placed elbows on her desk and dared him to argue. When he just stared back at her with a blank look on his face, she let out a frustrated huff. “This idea that it’s okay for a girl to act like a boy… essentially being called a tomboy and it isn't acceptable if a boy wants to explore things usually reserved for girls is ridiculous. So to answer your question, if our son wants to dress up like a princess… who am I to say he shouldn't be allowed to." 

“Well, you’re the parent… that’s one thing. And he will be teased…” Frost tried to reason.

"Look, I know what it's like to be teased. I was teased most of my childhood but Jane and I decided long ago that we would never let our kids think something was wrong with them if they don't fit into society perfectly. Being imperfect is much more interesting if you ask me…" 

"I'm not sure I understand, but I respect your opinion." Frost gave Maura a smile that ensured he did, indeed, respect her. "So, no pink or blue." 

Maura shook her head tiredly and sighed heavily. "Pink and blue are fine… just not one or the other… only." 

“What’s your favorite color, then?” Frost asked.

“I don’t know… maybe yellow or orange…”

“What about Jane?”

“Green, I think…” Maura blushed slightly. She knew very well that Jane’s favorite color was green because it was the color that swam within Maura’s hazel eyes… at least that is what Jane had said.

“Okay, so if I tell people neutral colors would be best because you aren’t going to find out about the sex of the baby… you’re okay with that?” 

"That would be fine." Maura yawned and stretched an arm over her head. 

"You look tired… you feeling okay?" Concern filled Frost's dark eyes. 

Maura nodded and leaned back in her chair again. “Yeah, just trying to keep up with Jane…” She gave Frost a saucy wink that had him pushing up from his chair.

“Okay, on that note, I’ll let you go…” he laughed as he stood up. “If it’s okay, I’ll run the ideas past you before we make any plans. I’m thinking next month… Jane will be, what about 7-8 months along?”

“Yes, that sounds about right.” Maura glanced at her watch. She now had twenty minutes left to rest before her next appointment. “And thanks for doing this. I know Jane will appreciate it.” 

Frost smiled at Maura and gave a gallant bow. "Anything for you and Jane. You're family… you know that right?" 

Maura smiled at him and nodded. “I do, in fact… we were wondering if you might be the Godfather?”

“What? Me… a Godfather.” Frost couldn’t hide his surprise. “It would be an honor to be the Godfather to your kid.” His grin could have split his face in half it was so big.

"Please don't tell Jane I asked you, though. She wants to ask you herself." Maura ducked her head. 

“It will be our little secret.” Frost gave her a wink as he headed towards her door. “And…” he hesitated briefly. “What happened here earlier will stay between us… okay?”

“I appreciate it.” Maura had the decency to look chagrined. “And I promise to take care of it before it goes too far.”

“Nip it in the bud, my friend.” Frost laughed as he used his index and middle finger in a scissor motion.

“Why don’t you come by this weekend for dinner and we can talk more about the party.”

“Will there be beer?" Frost raised an eyebrow in question as he stopped to look over his shoulder. 

“You know there will be." Maura laughed as she waved him off. "Come over Saturday about 6:30, I know Jane will be happy to see you and Valley… well… she adores you." 

“The feelings mutual…” he waved from the doorway. “I’ll see you Saturday then. Let me know if I can bring anything.”

“Will do.” Maura watched as he left and closed the door behind him finally giving her the privacy and quiet she had been craving all along. Now all she had to do was figure out how to handle the Kelly situation.

***  
The sound of the doorbell pulled Jane from her sleep. Blinking her eyes open, she shifted under the weight of Valley who had fallen asleep curled up next to her. She reached over to run her fingers through Valley's honey blonde hair, causing the toddler to stir under the touch. 

“We falled asleep…” Valley’s eyes fluttered open as she yawned and stretched her arms over her head. 

Jane smiled down at her daughter and nodded her agreement. “Too much milk and too many chocolate chip cookies, make for a sleepy Valley and Mama…”

“It’s okay, you gots to rest so my baby sister can grow big and strong so I can play with her.” Valley smiled up at Jane as she gave the baby bump at Jane’s middle a gentle pat.

“Or baby brother…” Jane started to say but Valley was having no of it.

Shaking her head, Valley frowned and lifted a finger to wiggle at Jane, a serious expression on her face. "No way, Jose'… I want a baby sister. I don't like boys." She scrunched up her nose and squinted her eyes. 

“But you like Noah, don’t you?” Jane asked.

“He’s okay, but he smells funny.” Valley held her nose between her thumb and index finger to emphasize what she was talking about.

“He does not…” Jane gave Valley’s middle a gentle pinch, causing the toddler to giggle and try to squirm away.

Before their conversation could continue, the doorbell rang again as her phone dinged notifying her that she had just received a text as well. “Better see who that is.” She pushed herself up from the comfort of the couch they had been snuggling on.

“I get it…” Valley took off at a run towards the door.

“Stop!” Jane raised her voice just enough for Valley to know she was serious. “You know the rules. No opening the door unless Mommy or I say it is okay.” She gave Valley a pointed look that brokered no argument before she looked down at her phone. It was   
a text from Frankie telling her that he was standing outside the door waiting to be let in.

Valley stopped and turned, putting her hands on her hips in a show of impatience. “Well…?” she asked as Jane glance at her, a small smile curling her lips as she gave the nod, giving her permission for Valley to open the door. In a split second, Valley was at the door, opening it to reveal Frankie and Noah waiting patiently to be let in. “Noah!” She squealed in delight as she pulled him in the door.

“Don’t I get a ‘hi’…” Frankie frowned, watching Valley and Noah dance around each other excitedly.

“Sorry, Unca Frankie… 'hi'…" Valley wrapped her arms around Frankie's legs and hugged him. "All better now?" She asked. 

Giving Valley a pat on the head, Frankie smiled down at her and nodded that he was now, in fact, okay. “Go on you two…” he shooed them away as his eyes fell on Jane. It had been a few weeks since they had seen each other and the baby had grown quite a bit. It surprised him to see her like this because he never thought he would. But she had a healthy glow about her and a soft smile that made her eyes twinkle with excitement. "You look good, sis…" he stepped in the door and gave her quick hug, doing his best to get out of the way of Valley and Noah as they ran towards the stairs and Valley's room to play. Joe Friday, who had been sleeping on the recliner jumped up and started to bark excitedly as she chased the kids upstairs seeking their attention. Frankie grimaced at the noise level and then shook his head. "You sure you want to add to this chaos?" 

“Kinda late to change our minds, don’t you think?” Jane patted her belly and laughed. “But to answer your question… absolutely.” Her grin was genuine and filled with happiness. 

“I guess it isn’t so bad.” He laughed as well as he followed her into the living room.

“Want something to drink?” She asked as she dropped down on the couch with a heavy sigh.

"I'm guessing you want me to get it myself if I do…" he raised a questioning eyebrow in her direction. 

“And then you could maybe get me some lemonade, too…” she gave him a hopeful look and he nodded as he headed towards the kitchen.

“Thank you…” Jane called out to his back as he disappeared around the corner. 

“Any time…” he called back.

Leaning back into the couch, Jane let out a long-held breath. After their nap, she felt slightly groggy but that was par for the course. She was tired all the time lately, but the nap had helped to alleviate some of the fatigue that had followed her home from work. She had decided to give her last class some free time, allowing her to pick Valley up early from preschool which resulted in their cookie coma that led to their nap. She ran her hands through her hair, pushing it away from her face and smiled at the memory of snuggling up with Valley tucked next to her and the comfort it brought her that she was able to do it in the first place. And then her thoughts turned to Maura who had been working harder than ever so she could take a few weeks off when the baby came. But then she frowned at the thought of Maura spending more time with that ever-present pain in her ass, Kelly. 

“Hey, what’s the frown for?” Frankie asked as he set Jane’s lemonade down on the coffee table and held his own as he sat in the recliner Joe had been sleeping in earlier.

“I was just thinking about Maura.” Jane picked up her glass and took a long drink. It tasted good, so she took another long drink.

"What? You usually smile… like a real, goofy smile when you're thinking of Maura, or if you're around her. Is something wrong?" 

“No, I don’t think so…” Jane’s voice trailed off as she looked away from Frankie’s concerned eyes. “It’s just, she’s been working a lot and that means she’s been spending more time with Kelly.”

“The blonde hottie?” He said, then winced when Jane gave him a withering glare. ‘Sorry…” he shrugged his shoulders as he took a drink of his lemonade and then smacked his lips at the tartness that lingered in his mouth. “You have something to worry about?” 

“Of course not… at least not from Maura. But you know the woman she is…” Jane made a face as she thought about Kelly again. “You remember that time Pop had a customer who just wouldn’t take no for an answer, no matter how many times he said he wasn’t interested and that he was married. She was pushy and didn’t listen to him when he said no.”

“Yeah, vaguely. I seem to remember that it took a visit from Ma to set her straight.” He nodded sagely at the memory. “Are you saying you might need to set Kelly straight?”

"Maybe…" Jane blew out an impatient huff. "Maura is just too naive about things like this. She gets focused on what she's doing and before you know it, Kelly will have made her move and Maura won't see it coming." 

“I get it. But Maura is completely and totally devoted to you. She won’t let it get that far.” Frankie tried to defend Maura.

“I know, but I have a really bad feeling about this woman. And it’s not just cause I don’t like her. I get a stalker vibe…”

“You want me to run a background check on her?” Frankie offered. “Maybe I can find out something useful…”

“Would you?” Jane sat up straighter, eyes wide in question. 

“You know I would do anything for you.” He smiled at her. “Just give me a few days.”

“Thanks, Frankie.” She grinned at him, feeling better about the whole situation.

“No prob.” He ducked his head in that way he did when Jane indicated she was proud of him.

“Hey, was there a reason you stopped by today?” 

“Do I have to have a reason to want to see my sister and niece?” He tried to sound offended but when Jane raised an eyebrow at him, he laughed and shook his head. “Well, maybe I did have a reason… but for the record, I did want to see you guys too.” 

"What's up?" Jane shifted back into the couch, settling against the soft cushions with a sigh. 

“Well…” Frankie ran his hands through his thick, dark hair and ducked his head again, this time out of shyness. 

“Come on, spit it out.” Jane reached over and gave his knee a gentle shove.

“Steph and I are thinking of trying to get pregnant.” He said as his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. 

“Really?” Jane gave him a sideways glance, not sure what to say. “You aren’t getting married for another six months.” 

“I know, but it took her a while to get pregnant with Noah, so we thought we might get a head start.”

“Um, okay… is that something you’re ready for?”

“Is anyone ever really ready?” He asked, his eyes meeting hers for the first time since they had started this conversation.

“I can’t answer that because Maura and I are ready, so I don’t know.” Jane brought her legs up on the couch, tucking them underneath herself as she watched him carefully.

“I want to start a family with Steph, I just want to make sure we’re not rushing things. What do you think?” 

“What I think is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is what you and Steph want and if you want to have a baby…” she hesitated briefly, hoping she was giving him the right advice. “Then I guess, do it but be really sure it’s what you both want. And if you feel like you’re rushing things, then at least wait until after the wedding to start trying.”

“Yeah…” he pushed his hair away from his face again, a nervous habit he had picked up from Jane.

“Is Steph pressuring you?” Jane’s big sister mode was activated at the thought of someone pressuring her brother into doing something he wasn’t ready to do.

"No… it's just we've been talking about it more lately." He smiled to let her know that he wasn't hiding anything. "And this…" he waved his hands in Jane's direction. "Isn't helping." The crooked grin he directed her way was playful. 

“Well…” she said rubbing her abdomen as she nodded her understanding. “Just make sure you’re both on the same page. Once you do and it happens… there’s no going back.”

“I know it’s a big step, but I think I’m ready. I really love being with Noah and you know how much I love being around Valley.”

“When the time comes, you’re going to make a great dad.” Jane smiled at Frankie and reached over to place her hand over his. Giving it a gentle squeeze, she tried to prevent the tears from falling but it was too late. The sniffle gave her away and Frankie looked at her in astonishment. “Damn hormones.” She sniffed again as she wiped at her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. 

Frankie couldn't remember the last time he saw his sister cry and the tenderness of the moment spoke volumes to him. Tears pricked behind his eyes as well and he tried to casually wipe them away before she could see but he knew it was too late when she smirked and pointed at him. 

“Ha, it’s not just me.” She laughed but then became serious again. “I love you, Frankie.”

“I love you too, Janie. Thanks for being my big sister and best friend.”

“Well, the big sister thing was kinda thrust on me but it’s a privilege to call you my best friend too.” 

“And if you need me to have your back with the Maura situation…” he didn’t finish because he didn’t need to. They both knew what he was talking about.

"I might hold you to that one, little bro." Jane said with a pensive expression. She wanted to give Maura the chance to deal with it first but if she needed to pull a 'Ma', she would. The stalker vibes that Kelly gave off made her very uncomfortable or perhaps her   
detective sense was on overdrive because it involved her sweet, wonderful wife who had no clue about things like this. No, she didn't worry about Maura crossing the lines… but she did worry that Kelly was moving them closer to the edge and if Maura wasn't careful, she might fall into something she never expected. 

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” Frankie tried to reassure when Jane was too quiet.

“I know… just feeling emotional. I’m not used to this…” she tried to shrug off his concern. “Oh, you guys wanna come to dinner on Saturday? Maura invited Frost… about 6:30…” she asked.

"Um, yeah… sounds good. Just let me double-check with Steph and make sure nothing's going on. I think we have Noah so that'll work out great." 

Before the conversation could segue into something else, the baby monitor caught Valley and Noah arguing over a toy and Frankie pushed himself up from the chair. Giving Jane a roll of the eyes as he shook his head, he couldn't help but shrug at the kid's antics. 

“I guess I should go check out what they’re getting on about. Anyway, it’s time to head home and get dinner started.”

“You cook?” Jane sounded surprised.

"Hey smartass, I learned from the best… butter noodles and spaghetti O's." He said as he pointed an accusatory finger at her. 

"That reminds me, I guess Valley and I better figure out what we're gonna do as well. Hold up and I'll come up there with you. You might need back up to defuse the situation." She laughed as she followed him upstairs to the sound of two toddlers arguing and a dog barking frantically trying to get everyone's attention. If this was the chaos that Frankie had eluded to earlier, she wouldn't change a thing.


End file.
